Ctg up next for 2-stroke ban

After the complete withdrawal of two-stroke three wheelers from the capital, the government now plans a gradual removal of the polluters from the streets of the port city of Chittagong, Communication Minister Barrister Nazmul Huda said yesterday.

Addressing a meeting organised by Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) at the auditorium of CCCI Bhaban yesterday, Huda said the government is sincere about the reorganisation and infrastructural development of Chittagong.

The Communication Ministry had already launched efforts for implementation of the Chittagong Development Proposals by the CCCI, the minister told the meeting attended by members of the CCCI and different trade bodies.

He said Chittagong has emerged as a gateway to southeast Asia as the government is now looking forward to expanded cooperation in all fields with the countries of the East.

Appreciating the activities of CCCI, Huda said the transfer of railway land was already underway for construction of the CCCI-proposed World Trade Centre.

The minister said initiatives are being taken to reorganise and update the communication system between Chittagong and the rest of country in coordination with the Roads and Highway Department. In this context, he said all-out efforts are being made to make Bangladesh Railway a profit-making organisation and preliminary works on a high-speed electromagnetic train service between Dhaka and Chittagong is also underway, which will reduce the travel time between the two major cities to a mere half an hour.

Earlier CCCI president Amir Humayun Mahmud Chowdhury in his address of welcome urged the government to hand over 1832 bighas of railway land for construction of the CCCI-proposed World Trade Centre as soon as the official formalities are complete.

The CCCI president also made a number of recommendations including introduction of a dedicated railway line from Chittagong port to the Inland Container Depot (ICD) in Dhaka, issuance of work order for renovation of rail tracks in the Chittagong-Chittagong university section for smooth operation of shuttle train and transforming the Foy's Lake area into a modern Theme Park.

Addressing the meeting, the Director General of Bangladesh Railway Ataur Rahman said the construction work for railway tracks of the Dhaka-Laksam and Dohazari-Cox's Bazar sections was already underway.

CMP commissioner Md. Shahidullah Khan informed the meeting that immediate steps would be taken to effect a ban on the plying of rickshaws along the stretch of road from New Market to Chittagong Airport to ease traffic congestion in the city.