'First priority will be completing unfinished projects'

Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury Nowfel, deputy minister for education and Awami League candidate for Chattogram-9 in the national election, has said if re-elected to power, the AL government will focus on creating more employment opportunities for the youth of the country. In an exclusive interview with TBS Chattogram Bureau Chief Shmasuddin Illius, Nowfel unveiled his dream for Chattogram and the government's vision for the entire country in the next five years. 

What are your plans for Chattogram?

This time our first priority will be completing the unfinished projects, especially the waterlogging alleviation projects, and make them sustainable. We will try to ensure budget allocation for keeping the drains and canals clean rather than the beautification projects in the city.  There is a challenge of coordinating the project works. We must actively foster coordination between political leaders and the administration through persistent advocacy.

What are the government's plans for the country?

The prime minister (Sheikh Hasina) in her manifesto said, "The development is visible, it's time to create vast employment opportunities." There is a challenge of creating employment opportunities for educated people outside the capital. Graduates have to rush either to Dhaka or abroad for jobs as the development of the major service industry has been mainly Dhaka-centric. The businessmen of the country have to be in the capital as all the headquarters of banks, insurances, government offices, and service industry are in Dhaka.

How will you create employment opportunities?

The government has already developed a number of economic zones and information technology hubs in remote areas like Mirsarai in Chattogram, Jashore, Kurigram and many other places. The government will prioritise the proper utilisation of the facilities to create vast employment opportunities for the people of the rural areas. The government has already commenced digital documentation in the government offices to combat the bureaucratic tangle though it is yet to be implemented in all the sectors. If the influence of "red tape" can be alleviated, employment opportunities will be created automatically.

How will you address the issue of empowering government offices in Chattogram in the decision making process?

The offices of the different government departments and directorates in Chattogram have very limited legal capability in making decisions. For example, the Bangladesh Bank has a huge establishment in Chattogram, but all the decisions come from Dhaka. All the bankers have to contact the central office of the Bangladesh Bank every day for decisions. If we can decentralise power we will be able to create employment opportunities in the rural areas. The government does not want trading-based GDP; the focus is on creating opportunity for more mass people.

The size of the educated population has also increased and they do not want to work in mills and factories as workers. We will have to re-skill them to fit them in technology-based industries at home and abroad.

Chattogram contributes 40% of the country's revenue earnings. Does the government feel the importance of Chattogram and treat it accordingly?  

Once there were a number of ministers in the cabinet from Chattogram, but there was no development here. Ministers are not necessary for development. The situation has changed. Over the last 15 years, Chattogram has gone through an unprecedented transformation. The number of mega projects have been implemented, no other district got like that many. We got the first-ever underwater tunnel in South Asia, a number of flyovers, elevated expressway, ring roads and many other development projects. In the future there will be metro rail to ease the traffic congestion in the city. Now we need administrative decentralisation for making development sustainable.

Khatunganj, the largest wholesale market of the country that has long had several problems, including climate change-driven waterlogging, is situated in your constituency. What is your plan for this market?

As a member of parliament my main focus is to ensure the needs of my voters. The businessmen come here to do business but they are not voters. The residents of the area are mostly labourers.

Even if we want to, we cannot take up any plan to develop the area radically as historically it has its own business ecosystem. We cannot develop the area by building multi-storeyed buildings because all the land properties in that area are mortgaged in the banks.

We can solve a few problems like traffic congestion and waterlogging. Construction of a truck terminal to ease traffic congestion has been proposed and the development of Chaktai Canal has already been done; there will be no waterlogging in the coming days. I will have to sit with the trade association to find a way to solve the problems and develop the area.

Businesses in Chattogram have long been facing problems due to load barriers on the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway. Will you address the issue?

Businessmen have long been complaining about the load barrier. It is certainly discrimination toward businesses in Chattogram. There are some findings behind this load barrier but I do not make any comment on that. If Chattogram has to show the way, why is the way not opening up in other parts of the country? The load barrier should be imposed all over the country to save the roads, highways and bridges.

Chattogram has been disconnected from the national gas grid. The supply of gas here is solely dependent on LNG import. As a result, industries have been suffering from a gas crisis. How would you address this issue?

The business leaders must inform the political leaders. I will learn about the problem from the business leaders of Chattogram and try to find a solution. I urge the business leaders to be more vocal about the problems they are facing.

Your father the late ABM Mohiuddin Chowdhury is called "Chattalbir" for his contribution. During his time, when an American company wanted to come to the port, your father resisted it through strong movement. But this time, the government is waiting for foreign companies to operate the Patenga container terminal. More foreign companies are expected to join the Bay Terminal project. How will foreign companies contribute to the expansion of trade?

There was a conspiracy to lease a very strategic place at the estuary of the Karnaphuli River to a bogus American company which did not have any experience in handling ports. There was a conspiracy to set up a military base by America on the land which could be devastating for our country. My father rightfully and successfully resisted this attempt. We need foreign investment and expertise in the development of the port's capacity. The foreign firms are being given charge of handling the port which will contribute to the economy. Saudi Arabia has been a friendly country to Bangladesh for a long time. A Saudi company has been given a contract to handle the port, which is a positive sign.  

Do you have any message to convey to the people of Chattogram?

The city is overloaded with an increasing population. As a result, the drains, canals and low-lying areas are getting filled up with wastes produced by the increasing number of people in the city. We want to launch an awareness programme by taking the citizens with us and with the help of the Chattogram City Corporation to make the city cleaner and habitable.