Strategic Transport Plan
Qamruddin Chowdhury, On e-mail
We hope that the STP worth $5.2billions will be approved as soon as possible and works will start for its completion in 10 years, and not 20 years. We have wasted four decades in numerous studies, studies and studies costing millions and millions of dollars to the public exchequer and have got nothing. Since the consultants were selected based on their pre-qualification, hence let's give support to their recommendations and make it better, as I indicated above, make it happen in 10 years instead of 20. Let's not do away with all the consultant's jobs and go on and on with endless studies without any development. Yes, we need both technological and heavy infrastructure development and also environmental safety. If we look at the developed countries, no infrastructures have been built ignoring the environment and people. Hence, we assume that the STP consultants have not recommended something ignoring the people and the environment. However, it is possible to have 150 million opinions of 150 million people of Bangladesh. We appreciate the different opinions, but now we should get the job started and finished as soon as possible. We hope and trust that the CTG and the cabinet will approve the STP and make additional plans to mitigate environmental concerns of BAPA. I personally do not support rickshaws or push-carts and other means of non-mechanised transport on the city streets, however environment-friendly those might be. Two important points mentioned in your report on STP, viz., the development of the circular waterway and making the current city trains more frequent and efficient can be done separately by the BIWTA and the railways independent of the STP programme. These two issues should not hold up the implementation of the STP which envisages metro rail, elevated express ways etc., as these are very important for all of us.
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