Cabinet meet in Ctg uncertain

The government had decided to hold the meeting on January 13 this year when Prime Minister Khaleda Zia visited Chittagong to lay the foundation of Asian University for Women (AUW).

Some hectic preparations were taken and a preparatory meeting attended by the representatives from all government agencies, was also held in this regard. The Chittagong circuit house was given facelift as the venue for holding the meeting.

Last of all it was deferred and administration sources hinted at holding the same by the second week of February.

The date for holding the cabinet meeting for the first time in Chittagong was changed several times that is supposed to be held in March or April last year.

The government planned to hold such a cabinet meeting here in order to take some important decisions for the development of Chittagong as a commercial capital in true sense, administration sources said.

All major issues in line with the hopes and aspirations of the people of Chittagong were supposed to feature the discussion in the cabinet meeting.

The cabinet meeting in Chittagong was being delayed as the plan for construction of the third bridge on the river Karnaphuli could not be finalised, sources said.

The government reportedly desired to lay the foundation of Karnaphuli third bridge and hold the cabinet meeting in Chittagong on the same day and this could be the reason behind the delay, sources added.

Construction of the third bridge on the river Karnaphuli was a long felt demand of the residents of southern part of Chittagong.

The existing Kalurghat and Shah Amanat bridges on the river Karnaphuli linking the port city with southern part of Chittagong became almost worn out and risky posing a threat to communication.

The deputy commissioner of Chittagong Shafiqul Islam said, " No fresh date has yet been fixed and we have not received any other information so far from the higher authorities of the government in this regard".

" But we are ready in this regard as we have already completed the preparatory works. We will just make arrangement if the date is set finally," he added.