Thursday, September 16, 2021

Chattogram | The Commercial Capital of Bangladesh


Bangabandhu Industrial City (Shilpa Nagari) is being built on about 30,000 acres of land in Mirsarai, Chittagong (Chattogram). The country's first tunnel is being built beneath the Karnafuli River. There will be two Chinese economic zones in Anwara upazila. Construction work is going on to build an aesthetically elevated expressway. Bay-Terminal and Patenga Container Terminal (PTC) are being built on the seashore for the future economic prosperity. City Outer Ring Road has been constructed. The train will go to Cox's Bazar from Chittagong. Four mega projects to alleviate water logging problems in the city. Four flyovers have been helpful in reducing traffic congestion. The commercial capital Bangladesh Chittagong is changing rapidly for some economic and communication development project. This development is adding new dimensions to economic prosperity of the country where Chittagong is one of the charioteers in this progress.

The largest seaport of the country is in Chattogram. It is the second largest commercial city in the country. Chittagong is called the queen of the east, it is one of the main centers of trade and commerce in the country. The largest shipyard in the subcontinent is at Chittagong. 93 percent of import and export goods are transported through the Chattogram port. Around 65% of the Government Revenue is collected through Chittagong Port and Custom House. Chittagong is also unique in terms of geographical location. As a result, businessmen and economists think that the development of Chittagong means the development of the country. The Bangabandhu Tunnel, Marine Drive and Bangabandhu Industrial City - all three projects are related to the national economy. Cox's Bazar can be reached from Dhaka via Shilpnagar - Marine Drive - Karnafuli Tunnel. If the communication system is enriched, new industries will be formed and new employment opportunity will be created. After implementing these projects, it will be a business corridor. Then Chittagong will be like Singapore.

All of these mega projects will play a big role in the development of Bangladesh. National connectivity will increase. In the future, domestic and foreign investment will be attracted in the industrial cities. There will be a radical change in Chittagong. Fortunately for Chittagong, there is an international port here. Previously, industrial and communication infrastructure was not created. However, the present government is implementing some development projects on priority basis. When these works are completed, not only Chittagong but the country will get huge benefits. Chittagong will get a new title in the development. The projects under implementation are undoubtedly commendable. However, the faster these are implemented, the better for the country and the business community. Every project is very important, the national economy is directly involved with each project.


Bangabandhu Industrial City (Shilpa Nagari):

Asia's largest Bangabandhu Industrial City is being developed in Mirsarai, Sitakunda Upazila of Chittagong under the initiative of Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA). Meanwhile, the construction of factories of 13 industrial establishments in this zone is at the final stage. There will be various services including industries, housing, health, tourism facilities, entertainment etc. Gas, Electricity and Water connections have been provided in the industrial city. There will be a port for loading and unloading goods. A four-lane road named 'Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Sarani' has been connected to the Dhaka-Chittagong highway. In the future it will be upgraded to eight lanes. A high dam has been built to protect the industrial city from the sea water. There is a new 'Sheikh Hasina Sarobar' on 100 acres of land. There will be aesthetic tourist centers, scenic fountains. International standard five star hotels and resorts will be built on 112 acres of land. BGMEA Garments Palli will be on 500 acres of land. 25 separate zones will be implemented. In order to travel in the project area, internal roads including 10 km four lane connecting road have been constructed through Dhaka-Chittagong highway. If the project is implemented, 15 to 20 lac people will be employed by 2030.

 

Bangabandhu Tunnel:

The country's first 'Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel' is being constructed beneath the Karnafuli River in Chittagong. The progress of the construction work is already 75 percent. The construction work is going on with the plan to complete it by December 2022. The tunnel will start from the side of Patenga Naval Academy in Chittagong city and connect between KAFCO and CUFL border on the south bank of the river. Through this, the 'One City Two Town' system will be developed in the style of Shanghai. Bangabandhu Tunnel is being implemented through Bangladesh Bridge Authority in the manner of Government of Bangladesh and China (G2G). On 24 February 2019, the Prime Minister inaugurated the construction of the tunnel. The total cost of the project is 10,374.42 crore BDT. There will be a total of 5.35 km connecting road at both ends of the river with the main tunnel. There is a 727 meter long flyover in Anwara section. Work on the first tube, which started from the Patenga outskirts of the city, was completed on August 2020. Work of the second tube from the Anwara edge began in December 2020. Work is also underway on the connecting road of Patenga and Anwara sections of the tunnel and over bridge in Anwara section. If the tunnel is implemented, South Chittagong will change. Communication with Cox's Bazar will be easier. Industrial zones and factories will be built.


Chattogram Elevated Expressway:

The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) is implementing an Elevated Expressway from Lalkhan Bazar to Shah Amanat Airport. About 60 percent of the work has already been completed. Work is underway to complete it by 2023. The project costing Tk 3,250.83 crore was approved at the ECNEC meeting on July, 2017. On 24 February 2019, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work. Work is being implemented in four stages from Lalkhan Bazar to Barik Building, from Barik Building Junction to Saltgola Crossing, from Saltgola to Cement Crossing and from Cement Crossing to the Beach. The 16.5 kilometer four-lane project is about 20 kilometers long with ramps and loops, it 54 feet wide. Each ramp will have two lanes. There will be 24 ramps in 9 points of the elevated expressway. There will be four ramps at Tiger Pass, four at Agrabad, two at Barik Building, two at Nimtali, two at Customs Crossing, four at CEPZ, two at KEPZ, two at Kathgarh and two at Patenga Beach. Vehicles will run on elevated expressways just like flyovers. With the construction of the elevated expressway, the airport can be reached from the city in just 30 minutes which will save two hours of journey time. Foreign investment will increase. Traffic congestion will be reduced in the city. Tourism sector will be developed. Goods will be brought from Chittagong port to all over the country through this road.


Bay-Terminal:

The Bay-Terminal is called the 'Port of Today and Tomorrow'. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work on the sea coast of Patenga-Halishahar on November, 2018 to increase the capacity of Chittagong Port in line with import-export and economic growth. Work is underway to complete the construction by 2024. The Bay Terminal is to be built on 2,500 acres of land, including 1,600 acres raised from the sea, in addition to 871 acres of privately owned and government land on the coast. Already 68 acres of privately owned land has been acquired and 803 acres of land is in the process of acquisition. According to the preliminary study, the estimated cost of the project is Two Billion BDT. The import-export goods handling capacity of Chittagong port will be five times more if the Bay Terminal is constructed. Ships are now docked at the jetty based on the tides in the port and the mother vessels are taking berth at the outer anchorage. The Bay Terminal will be able to accommodate ships at the jetty and Mother Vessel will be able to berth. This will save time and money of transporting goods.


Patenga Container Terminal:

The Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) is being constructed at a cost of Tk 1,800 crore. About 75 percent of the project has already been completed. Work started in July 2017. This is a big project to increase the capacity of Chittagong port. With the introduction of PCT which is under construction on 32 acres of land, more than four lac TEUS containers can be handled annually. For the first time in the country this terminal is being constructed with rust-resistant and salinity-tolerant iron, which will prolong the general durability. The container terminal project has a 600 meter long jetty on 32 acres of land. Four ships can be berthed here. There will be a 200 meter long dolphin jetty and 1 lac 12 thousand square meters of internal yard and road.


Four projects to alleviate water logging:

Three Government service agencies have taken up four major projects to alleviate the accursed waterlogging in Chittagong city. More than 10,803 crore taka allocated for four projects. All four projects are ongoing. Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) is implementing a project worth BDT 5,616.49 crore for Re-excavation, expansion, renovation and development of canals to alleviate waterlogging in the city. CDA is implementing another project titled 'Construction of road from Kalurghat Bridge to Chaktai canal along the banks of Karnafuli River at a cost of Tk 2,310 crore. The Water Development Board approved a project worth Tk 1,620.73 crore in February 2019 entitled 'Development of flood control, submergence or drainage in Chittagong metropolis'. The project is expected to be completed in June 2022. Besides, ECNEC on June, 2014 approved a new three-kilometer canal excavation project 'Construction of road from Kalurghat bridge to Chaktai canal along the banks of Karnafuli river' at a cost of Tk 290 crore to alleviate water logging.


Chittagong City Outer Ring Road:

CDA is constructing a 17 km long city outer ring road from Patenga to Fauzdarhat at a cost of Tk 2,500 crore. The Ring Road will be connected to the Karnafuli Tunnel and Marine Drive. If the projects are implemented, the vehicles going from Dhaka to Cox's Bazar will go to Cox's Bazar through Fauzdarhat via City Outer Ring Road using Karnafuli Tunnel. The Patenga Sea Beach has undergone a radical change for the Chittagong City Outer Ring Road project. Under the project, beautification work has been done in an area of ​​five kilometers. As a result of the overall development, the sea view is going to be enjoyed from four levels on the beach. The project includes a 30-foot-high coastal protection dam to protect it from tidal surges. A 100 feet wide road has been constructed over the embankment.

 

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