Stakeholders at a programme here on Sunday called for stopping encroachment of Chaktai canal and taking measures to dredge it on a regular basis in order to save the Chaktai-Khatunganj business hub of the port city.
Chaktai-Khatunganj is a long-neglected business hub of the country. None seems to be interested about development of the biggest wholesale market of the port city. Waterlogging costs them a lot every year, they said at the view-exchange meeting styled 'Economic Impact of Waterlogging on Local Trade: The Case Study of Khatunganj, Wholesale Commodity Market, Chattogram', at the Bangabandhu Conference Hall of Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI).
Planning Commission's Programme Division Chief Khondakar Ahsan Hossain was present as chief guest at the event, chaired by CCCI president Mahbubul Alam.
Mr Alam said the businesses at Khatunganj lose a large amount of money in the rainy season every year due to waterlogging.
"It is unfortunate that 400-year-old commercial hub Khatunganj is still suffering from waterlogging. I hope that the government takes immediate steps to save traders and businesses at Khatunganj," he said.
Organising Secretary of Khatunganj Trade Association Jamal Ahmed said, "Every year we have to suffer huge losses and we want to solve the chronic waterlogging problem.
“The government should put special emphasis on saving the Chaktai-Khatunganj area since it is a major commercial hub of the country."
Chaktai canal should be dredged and excavated on a regular basis, Mr Ahmed added.
Several speakers said Chaktai canal has been filled up due to land-grabbing. Lack of regular dredging in the canal causes waterlogging. As a result, the traders are suffering untold miseries."
Planning Commission's Hossain said the researchers researched on the impact of waterlogging at Chaktai-Khatunganj - the main commercial hub of the city.
"The programme was a primary one," he said, adding "After including the views of the stakeholders, the researchers will submit the final report within the next month."
Planning Commission Programme Division Joint-Chief Dr Nurun Nahar, Dean of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET)’s Architecture Faculty Professor Khondakar Sabbir Ahamed; CCCI Directors Ohid Seraj Swapon and Anjan Shekhor Das; Chairman of the Institute of Architects, Chattogram, Najmul Latif; Planner of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) AKM Rezaul Karim; and NRP's Consultants Dr Reaj Akter Mallik, Dr Nazrul Islam, Dr Abu Tayeb Md Shahajan and Sumaya Binte Mamun, among others, attended the programme.
