Staff Reporter:
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has asked all concerned to construct the 4-lane Cox’s Bazar marine driveway without cutting trees to protect nature and environment.
Under his directives, the four-lane road is being constructed without cutting 3,000 trees.
The Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges has undertaken the project in 2024-25 fiscal year to upgrade about 80-kilometer road from Kalatoli to Sabrang Zero Point in Teknaf to four lanes.
Under this project, about 32 kilometers of marine drive from Kalatoli to Patuartek is being upgraded to four lanes. Soon after the work started, news was published in various media outlets that 3,000 trees would be cut down to implement this project.
As the news came to the attention of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, he immediately ordered Road Transport and Bridges Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam to look into the matter and widen the road without felling a single tree.
Upon receiving such instructions from the Prime Minister, the road transport minister instructed the con-cerned not to cut trees.
On April 21, Shaikh Rabiul Alam and State Minister Habibur Rashid Habib visited the area and asked the project officials to widen the marine driveway without cutting trees.
At that time, Prime Minister’s Defense Adviser Brigadier General (retd) Dr AKM Shamsul Islam and the project implementing officials were present.
In this regard, Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam told that after his visit to the site and discussion with the engineers, the alignment of the road has been changed slightly to protect the trees.
