Chattogram’s development must be handed over to its people, urges citizens

Despite being the second-largest city in Bangladesh, Chattogram’s development has long been dictated by unplanned projects, with little input from local residents, said speakers at an event.

Experts and civil society members speaking at a civic dialogue titled “New Dreams and Realities for Chattogram” urged for a shift in approach, emphasising that Chattogram’s development must now be planned by its own people in the wake of the July uprising.

Speaking at the event, East Delta University Vice-Chancellor Prof Sikandar Khan said, “Development must be inclusive, equitable, and sustainable. The previous ideas of development have destroyed the city’s environment, resources, and order. We must move beyond this flawed approach.”

Engineer Subhash Chandra Barua of Planned Chattogram Forum presented the keynote, stressing that unplanned projects have severely damaged the city’s natural environment without benefiting residents. 

“Traffic, pollution, and waterlogging are pushing Chattogram to the brink of uninhabitability,” he said.

Umama Fatema, one of the central coordinators of the Anti-Discrimination Student Movement, highlighted the long-standing issue of waterlogging, saying, “I’ve witnessed waterlogging in Chattogram since childhood, and despite huge spending, people still drown in open drains.”

Speakers called for a rethinking of development projects, with a focus on sustainable solutions for Chattogram’s problems, including waste management and river pollution.