Staff reporter:
The government has undertaken mega development projects worth thousands of crores of taka to transform Bogura into one of the country’s major industrial, communication and economic hubs, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development (LGRD) and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam has said.
He outlined the plans while addressing a discussion titled “Development Potential, Problems and Challenges of Bogura,” organised by daily Bangladesh Pratidin at Momo Inn Convention Centre in Bogura yesterday.
The state minister said the Tk 10,570-crore Bogura-Sirajganj railway project would significantly improve connectivity and boost economic activities in the northern region.
Plans to build a multimodal airport in Bogura are at the final stage, he said.
Initiatives are underway to build a four-lane road along the Karatoa River and upgrade major city highways from four to six lanes, he said.
Tk 70 crore has already been released for preliminary work to ease traffic congestion and support urbanisation, he said.
He said the proposed Arafat Rahman Koko Para Sports Village would cost around Tk 1,000 crore, while Tk 1,994 crore had been allocated for Bogura City Corporation’s infrastructure development.
Plans also include Tk 3,500 crore for sustainable development across 13 upazilas and Tk 2,000 crore for municipal infrastructure, he said.
Establishment of Bogura WASA and the Bogura Development Authority is nearing completion, he said.
The government also plans to develop a BSCIC Industrial Park, establish 151-bed modern hospitals in 13 upazilas of the district and strengthen Bogura University as a multidisciplinary higher education and research centre.
The state minister called for unity beyond political differences to ensure balanced development.
The meeting was chaired by Bangladesh Pratidin Editor Loton Ekram.
Bogura-6 constituency lawmaker Rezaul Karim Badsha, Bogura-3 constituency lawmaker Abdul Muhit Talukder, Additional Press Secretary to the Prime Minister Atikur Rahman Rumon, Press Institute Bangladesh (PIB) Director General Faruk Wasif, Bogura Deputy Commissioner Toufikur Rahman and Police Superintendent Mirza Sayem Mahmud, among others, addressed the meeting.
