PM Sheikh Hasina inaugurates 'World Trade Centre' in Chittagong

"The country would step forward further in all sectors as the World Trade Centre would help expand trade and increase investment, export and import as well as create employment ... I also think that economic activities of the port city of Chittagong would get a new lease of life for it," she said.

The Premier said this while addressing a function marking inauguration of World Trade Centre (WTC) and centenary celebrations of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) on the WTC premises at Agrabad here on Saturday afternoon.

Finance Minister Abul Maal Abdul Muhith, Commerce Minister Tofail Ahmed, CCCI President Mahbubul Alam and former CCCI President Abdu Latif, MP, also spoke on the occasion.

Sheikh Hasina said the Chittagong people must feel proud of getting the country's first World Trade Centre in their city. "The centre was built (in Chittagong) in the way such centres were constructed in other big cities of the world," she said, thanking the CCCI for constructing the centre.

The Prime Minister also hoped that the World Trade Centre would play a significant role in accelerating the overall economic activities including trade and commerce of the country including Chittagong.

"As such a centre was established only in Chittagong, I think trade and commerce would move to the port city gradually and I will be happy in it (in its construction) as we have 'separate relations' with Chittagong ... you can say it is my 'second home' from my childhood," she remarked amid thunderous clapping of the audience.

Highlighting the background of the construction of the World Trade Centre in Chittagong, the Premier said the Awami League government during its tenure in 1996 took initiatives for construction of the trade centre. "The centre was completed today after so many years," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also called upon the businesspeople to pay tax on time to make the country self-reliant in all sectors. "I would like to request the businesspeople to pay tax on time so that we could stand on our own feet ... we would make our development by ourselves and we don't need to beg," she said.

"To achieve the goal, the businesspeople will have to pay tax on time so that we could work. Whatever tax you will pay it would be spent for the country's development ... my only aim is to make the country developed and prosperous," she said.

In this connection, the Prime Minister said there was a challenge before her government about the construction of the Padma Bridge and efforts were made to undermine Bangladesh.

"And big thing was that me, my family members and Bangladesh were its target and we took it as a challenge and we became victorious in that challenge as we have been able to start the work of the mega project in our own funding," she said.

Sheikh Hasina also called upon the businessmen to explore new markets abroad and produce products that have huge demand at home and abroad.

"We have already created facilities for you for expanding market through various initiatives including Bangladesh, China, India, Myanmar (BCIM) Economic Corridor. So, we want that you would now work with utmost sincerity to find out new markets and produce products in Bangladesh considering which products have demand in which countries," she said.

In this connection, the Prime Minister stressed the need for making exports multifaceted as well as focusing on branding and attracting products side by side with increasing productivity and quality of the products.

Citing that the trade and commerce have to face enough challenges in this era of globalization, the prime Minister said asserting that Bangladesh could face any challenge in advancing the country further.

"We are a victorious nation and we were liberated through War of Liberation under the leadership Bangabandhu ... whatever challenges come, why we couldn't face those?"

In this connection, Sheikh Hasina said her government has been able to continue export and import by successfully facing global economic recession and thwarting the atrocities and violence orchestrated by the BNP-Jamaat nexus.

"Many were worried about the global economic meltdown and the terrorists and subversive acts of the BNP-Jamaat and apprehended that Bangladesh's export will decline for it. But I said it won't reduce and it did not decline... we have been able to continue export of goods by facing that situation," she said.

Describing her government as business-friendly, the Premier assured the businesspeople of continuing her government's allout assistance for the development of trade and commerce in the country.

"We didn't come to the government for doing business and we won't do it and it does not match with us... rather we want that you would do business and set up mills and factories," she said.

Mentioning that Bangladesh obtained a huge maritime area through the settlement of sea boundary issues with India and Myanmar, the Prime Minister said the businesspeople should take initiatives from now to extract resources from the sea.

The Premier also called upon the businesspeople of the country to give more focus on setting up agro- and food-processing industries considering their domestic and international demands. In this connection, she said her government would provide all kinds of support.

The Prime Minister in her speech also mentioned that huge development has been made over the last seven years in the communication and infrastructure sectors including construction of many new flyovers and roads in Chittagong.

She said the work on construction of Dhaka-Chittagong Four Lane Highway is nearing completion while provision has been kept there to turn it into a six-lane up to eight-lane highway in future.

Besides, double-line railway network is being established from Dhaka to Chittagong to make communication and transportation of products faster and cheaper, she added.

Referring to construction of a tunnel under the Karnaphuli river, the Prime Minister said, the aim of the tunnel is to develop two sides of the river as "One City Two Towns" like Shanghai of China.

She also highlighted achievement of the target of handling 20 lakh TUS in the Chittagong Port this year and said her government is going to start construction of six kilometre long bay terminal to increase capacity of the port.

While talking about the electricity and gas crisis in Chittagong, Sheikh Hasina said the government has started process of constructing LNG Terminal at Moheshkhali to raise gas supply in Chittagong procuring from Qatar and India while steps have been taken to set up a 1320 MW capacity coal-based power plant at Matarbari in Moheshkhali.

In this connection, the Prime Minister said her government would discuss with the Indian government importing gas from Tripura for solving gas shortage in the port city.

Pointing out the government initiatives for setting up 100 economic zones across the country for further industrialization and generating employment, such economic zones would be established in Anwara and Miresharai of Chittagong.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the 21-stoey building through unveiling its plaque at Agrabad of the city.

The CCCI built the 21-storey World Trade Centre on 75 kathas of land at a cost of Tk 200 crore. Built with state-of-the-art technologies, the centre houses a five-star hotel, two swimming pools, a rooftop helipad, a three-storey basement with a parking capacity for 400 vehicles, a convention centre and a modern IT centre.

The CCCI has already obtained membership of the New York-based World Trade Centre.

Earlier, the Prime Minister inaugurated and laid foundation of five development projects at a function in Quaish area of the city. She also unveiled the tallest mural of Bangabandhu, installed in the city's Quaish area.

Addressing a function at Quaish, the Prime Minister said the government would do everything necessary for development of Chittagong port city as a commercial hub of the country.

Construction work of the tunnel under the Karnaphuli river would commence very soon, she said.

CDA Chairman Abdus Salam also spoke on the occasion.

The Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) has built two murals at both ends of the 5.5 kilometer Oxygen-Quaish road, now renamed as Bangabandhu Avenue, at a cost of about Taka 1.20 crore.

She also inaugurated Kadamtoli Flyover, construction of link road from Dhaka Trunk Road to Baizid Bostami Road, and construction work of Chittagong city Outer Ring Road.

The Prime Minister laid foundation stone of the elevated expressway from the city's Lalkhan Bazar area to Shah Amanat International Airport. The project is likely to cost Taka 3,000 crore.

Photo: Focus Bangla News