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Risks of waterlogging and landslides are sill prevailing in Chattogram district despite awareness campaigns and projects taken by the government.
If we want to free ourselves from waterlogging and landslide, we have to work together and ensure the coordination of all concerned organisations.
Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Alhaj Rejaul Karim Chowdhury said these while speaking as the chief guest at a daylong seminar "Economic impact of waterlogging in local trade: A study in Khatungonj and industrial risk profile for Chattogram."
The seminar, arranged by Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI), was held at the Bangabandhu Conference Hall of World Trade Centre at Agrabad in the port city on Monday.
President of CCCI Mahbubul Alam chaired the function while Chief of Planning Commission (Work) Khandker Ahsan Hossain addressed the function as the special guest.
Besides, Deputy Chief and Project Director of National Resilience Programme (NRP) Dr Nurun Nahar, Programme Specialist (Climate Change and Disaster Risk Management) of UNDP Arif Abdullah Khan, Additional Chief Engineer of CCC Rafiqul Islam Manik, Executive Engineer of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Ahamed Mainuddin, General Secretary of Khatungonj Trade and Industries Association Sayed Sagir Ahamed, former director of CCCI Mahafujul Haque Shah, President of Amir Market Merchant Association Muhammed Idris Meah, President of Chattogram Rice Mills Owners' Association Farid Uddin Ahamed, General Secretary of Chaktai Khatungonj Aratdar Samity SM Mohiuddin Mohim, CCCI directors Md Jahurul Islam and Sayed Mohammed Tanvir also addressed the seminar.
NRP consultants Dr Reaj Akter Mallik, Dr Najrul Islam, Dr Abu Tayeb Md Shahajan and Sumaya Mamun jointly presented the keynote paper at the seminar.
Addressing the function, the experts said, "If we can luanch projects by analysing the risk factors, the projects can give us benefits after implementation. Waterlogging, and landslide created by hill-cutting are still our disaster. So, we have to implement the master plan in this regard. Government and non-government organisations should work together."
President of CCCI Mahabubul Alam said, "The businessmen at Khatungonj and Chaktai lose billions of taka every year for waterlogging. The warehouses at these areas are flooded by water in every rainy season. Besides, water of high tide also hampers trade and business. These areas are the commercial hubs of the country."
The speakers at the workshop recommended recovering the occupied canals, development of both banks of the river Karnaphuli by evicting all illegal establishments, introducing the city government system for coordination of all organisations for development, saving the ponds, using the digital map for development works, introducing the proper garbage management in the city, stopping the hill- cutting and managing the landslide in Chattogram, implementing the Ring Road Project properly etc.