The certificate and award giving ceremony of 31st Chittagong International Trade Fair 2024 – organised by the Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) – has been held at the Bangabandhu Conference Hall of port city’s World Trade Center.
CCCI President Omar Hajjaj presided over the event, while Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury attended as the chief guest on Thursday.
Besides, Chittagong Divisional Commissioner Md Tofail Islam and Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy, Chamber Vice President Raisa Mahbub, Chamber Director and CITF 2024 Committee Chairman AKM Akhter Hossain spoke as special guests.
Notable personalities of the port city, including chamber directors Md Ahid Siraj Chowdhury (Swapan), Zahirul Islam Chowdhury (Alamgir), Mahfuzul Haque Shah, Benazir Chowdhury Nishan, Engineer Iftekhar Hossain, Mohammed Akhtar Parvez, Mahbubul Haque Mia, Md Rezaul Karim Azad, Mohammad Adnan Ul Islam, Mohammad Monir Uddin, and Akhtar Uddin Mahmud, and other business representatives also attended the ceremony.
Chief guest Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) Mayor Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury said, “The present government has made this city more attractive through various mega projects, especially Karnaphuli Tunnel, Bangabandhu Shilpa Nagar, and the Elevated Expressway.
“But if Karnaphuli becomes like the Buriganga River due to encroachment and pollution, then this city will not exist.”
He added, “Everyone should be vocal to save Karnaphuli, and be careful not to throw trash and polythene anywhere. Thirty-six out of 56 canals are being renovated as part of Chattogram’s main waterlogging problem.
“Feasibility studies are underway on how to salvage the rest of the canals. Later, efforts will be taken to rescue those as well.”
He then said, “Illegal and encroached footpaths are being recovered so that the city is livable and the movement of people is not obstructed. Besides identifying the real hawkers, the corporation is thinking of opening holiday and night markets for them.
“Moreover, the city corporation is trying to make Chattogram an international convention and exhibition centre to make Chittagong an attractive and true commercial city for foreign investors.”
Mentioning the importance and role of Chittagong Chamber in the economy of Bangladesh, Special Guest Divisional Commissioner Md Tofail Islam said, “The existence of Bangladesh cannot be imagined without Chittagong.
“In the last 25 years, Chittagong city has seen great development. As a result, an opportunity has been created to expand Chittagong on the model of two towns, one city. So Chittagong should be developed in a planned way. So that incidents like floods and landslides do not recur.”
He expressed hope that if the universal pension scheme is acceptable to all, there will be no incidents like leaving helpless parents in elderly rehabilitation centers.
Tofail appealed to the business community to bring the employees of the business establishments under the universal pension scheme and highlight the importance of universal pension to everyone.
Special guest Metropolitan Police Commissioner Krishna Pada Roy said everyone has to work from their respective positions to make Chattogram a commercial city.
In addition, there is a need for an international trade fair to promote Chittagong to a global position.
He also emphasised on construction of bus, truck terminal, dumping station, traffic signal modernization and rickshaw free road management to bring discipline in the transport sector in the city.
Chamber president Omar Hajjaj said all levels of the business community have applauded the operation to clear illegal structures in various areas including footpaths to make the port city and commercial capital of Chittagong livable and facilitate the movement of citizens.
Even though all these businesses centered on footpaths block public traffic, the government does not get any revenue from this. Therefore, as a result of the eviction of all these illegal establishments, relief has returned among the common traders.
Besides, if holiday and night markets are launched to rehabilitate hawkers, the government will get revenue from that too.
The president of the chamber called upon the concerned parties to allocate space for the international convention center and trade fair to make Chittagong an international port city.
At the end of the event, awards and certificates were given to the best pavilions, stalls and creative activities organizations by the jury board from among the organizations participating in the fair.
In this year's fair, under the premier pavilion category, TK Group achieved the first position, Abul Khair Milk Products Ltd became second and New Zealand Dairy Products Bangladesh Ltd third.
Among the stalls, Welberg, Wakaru, and Raj Textile (Raj Lungi) secured first, second and third positions respectively. Vidyananda Foundation has been selected as the best in creative activities category.
The fair will continue till Tuesday, March 26, 2024.
