Restore Ctg to its past glory
The past heritage of Chittagong should be brought back with the help of government policies and the relentless efforts of local entrepreneurs, said Well Group Chairman Abdus Salam.
Much before the Liberation War, Chittagong was referred to as the 'land of business'. After the Liberation War, Dhaka became the capital and Chittagong started lagging behind, according to Salam. He has business in different sectors, including food, textiles, readymade apparel, garment accessories and hotels.
“Almost 95 percent of our business is in Chittagong, and by doing business, we want to bring back that old pride. In addition to creating employment, we want to attract foreign investment and bring focus on Chittagong,” said Salam, also the chairman of Chittagong Development Authority (CDA).
Salam said the dependence on Dhaka for every important decision hampers business activities and expansion in Chittagong.
“All policy support provided by the government for business activities are approved in Dhaka. Even bank loan needs to be approved from the central offices in Dhaka. If we got the decisions from Chittagong itself, it would have been easier for us.”
The long-term demand for setting up a full-fledged Bond Commissionerate has recently been fulfilled. Exporters, especially readymade garments exporters, have long been facing obstacles in exporting items.
A lack of required infrastructural facilities in the port city is another problem that businesses face.
“It takes three to four hours to send goods to the jetty at Chittagong Port from the city's Kalurghat Industrial Area due to road congestion,” Salam said. “It takes two to three hours to transport export items to the port from the industrial units in Fouzderhat, which should take no more than half an hour.”
The steps needed to turn Chittagong into a commercial capital in the true sense have been identified much earlier, but those are yet to be implemented, the CDA chairman said. He emphasised immediate implementation of those steps for the sake of the city as well for the country's economy.
He said the production of electricity should be a continuous process. Production could not be ensured against an increase in demand for electricity, which resulted in the present energy crisis; without improving the energy and power sector, no economic development is possible, he added.
Salam said the government has taken many steps to increase power generation and the process should continue. The government might change in future, but the development process should continue, he added.
Connectivity between Chittagong and other parts of the world is also very weak. The international airport in Chittagong could not be properly utilised for its limitations, Salam said.
“An increase in connectivity between this city and different countries in both the east and the west is a must to boost business here. If we can properly use Emirates Airlines and Thai Airways, connectivity would increase a lot.”
At present, expatriates are using this airport but the business community is not much benefited. The airport in Dhaka can only handle air cargo. He said, “Chittagong is called the commercial capital, but we have to use the airport in Dhaka to export goods.”
He emphasised setting up of cargo sheds and launching auto-refuelling systems in Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport as part of increasing connectivity.
Salam also stressed the need for boosting the efficiency and capacity of the country's premier sea port in Chittagong. “Full-automation systems should be introduced in the port so that services would be improved and corruption would decline.”
He criticised the delivery and customs process for about 17 types of imported items in the inland container depots (ICDs) outside the ports. “According to the Customs Act, customs activities should be done at the entry point. These cargoes should be checked in the secured areas of Chittagong Port instead of the ICDs in Dhaka or elsewhere.”
Salam, the former president of Chittagong Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce and Industries, said the two local chambers place proposals with different government organisations and ministries, but do not get much response.
“It is not expected that all those proposals should be accepted by the government, but there should be answers on why those were not approved or rejected. For example, senior ministry officials usually sit with the chambers before the annual budget, but the meetings are not always fruitful. It frustrates the business community,” he said.
Salam believes a congenial environment, necessary support as well job satisfaction is very important for the workforce. “Machines are important for the industries but the man behind the machine is much more important.”
Salam takes his business ventures as part of playing a role for the development of his dream city Chittagong as well as the country.
“Before I started my bakery business with Well Food Chittagong, people were deprived of good quality eateries. Foreigners suffered a lot and they usually brought along good quality food items from Dhaka. I just tried to improve the food sector here through my business.”
Salam has established 16 different types of factories where over 16,000 people are working; he wants to continue playing a role in the country's economy.
Even with its limitations, Chittagong has potential due to its geological location, he said. The port was established over a hundred years back for this geological benefit. And this was not established only for use by the local people, rather, it was established with a vision for being used by neighbouring countries like Myanmar, Eastern India, China and others, Salam added.
“But the aim was diverted and the country lost a big chance of huge development. It is a matter of happiness that the present government has taken initiatives of materialise that vision.”
He hoped that with proper utilisation of the Chittagong Port, the total scenario of the country's economy will change.
Salam said people were not aware of climate change and environmental degradation previously, so many factories are running with many limitations in this regard.
"There is nothing to be worried about anymore, as a process has already started. It would take some time to make all the factories environment-friendly, but continuous efforts should be taken.”
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