Move to increase investment potential
With a view to improving infrastructure and other facilities for increasing investment potential here, an international commercial centre will be developed in the port city. Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) has taken the initiative to develop the centre titled “Chittagong International Exposition Centre (CIEC)” at an approximate cost of Tk 250 crore. Under the guidelines of Chittagong Metropolitan Master Plan 1995 and Detailed Area Plan 2008 to boost tourism as well as draw investment in the port city, CDA has already selected a site of 216 acres of land near Patenga Sea beach for the centre. The site is to the west of the 150-foot wide Patenga Sea Beach Road near Shah Amanat International Airport. A conceptual sketch has already been prepared for the centre to be constructed with the financial assistance of China, said the sources in CDA. Replying to a memo from the foreign ministry, CDA proposed CIEC along with three other projects on March 16 to be raised in the “9th Annual Bilateral Consultation between Bangladesh and China ” likely to be held in June or July, they said. The three projects include a flyover from the airport to the Kalurghat industrial area; a new township along the Karnaphuli River like Pudong Commercial City in Shanghai and providing training facilities to CDA planners, architects and engineers to improve human resources to face urban problem. CDA emphasised on the proposed projects to achieve the metropolitan development goal as well as establishment of human resources for new “Digital Bangladesh”. The components envisaged to be included in the Chittagong International Exposition Centre are exhibition centre, conference hall, banquet hall, amphitheatre, theatre hall, history museum, national heritage and culture centre, information and media broadcasting centre, commercial and international institution, public library and cruising facilities and tourism activities. “This type of centre is available in Pudong Commercial City in Shanghai ,” said CDA Chairman Shah Muhammad Akhteruddin. Linked with the outside world in air, land and sea routes Chittagong is considered as the commercial capital of Bangladesh. Chittagong is also blessed with resources and potential tourism. As such planned development projects and more installations of international standard are required to be developed here, he said. “If infrastructure and investment potential are developed, Chittagong can play an important role in bringing about social and economic development in the country,” he added. He also emphasised on developing flyover, new township along the Karnaphuli river and training in urban sector. Sources in CDA said a flyover was needed to establish a link between the developed northern fringe of the city with the southern fringe along the coast where sea port, airport and other important installations are situated. Justifying the development of new township they said there is an ample space along the river that can be turned into valuable land for commercial, tourism and living like Pudong along the river Huangpu. With the help of China same city concept can be replicated along the river Karnaphuli, they said. Underlining the need for training in urban sector they said a city cann't develop without trained and expert professionals in the urban sector. In this regard, they said urban professionals like architects, engineers and town planners may be allowed to participate in training programmes in China Planning Institute for acquiring modern knowledge on urban development.
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