By Maloy Kumar Dutta & Zahid Hossain
KHULNA, Nov 13, 2023 (BSS) - The people of the south-western Khulna city sited on the bank of picturesque rivers Rupsha-Bhairab , which has been connected directly with capital Dhaka by-road through much-anticipated Padma Bridge in 2022, are eagerly waiting to welcome Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as she will address a public rally and open and lay foundation stones of 29 development schemes today.
The entire Khulna region wore a festive mood as enthusiasm and joy has been prevailing among the people as well as leaders and workers of the Awami League and associate bodies as they are in hopes that Bangabandhu’s daughter will meet some of their long-cherished dreams like construction of airport, commencing gas supply, setting up economic zones and reopening all closed state run factories and mills including jute and paper mills in the district as she met the previous ones.
The gleaming and polished city Khulna, which is famous for Bangladesh’s white gold shrimp cultivation, has been decorated with banners, festoons, billboards and posters welcoming Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Khulna is considered the gateway to the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest, a UNESCO world heritage site, and home of the Royal Bengal Tiger, as well the country’s second largest and busiest seaport is located in Mongla upazila in Bagerhat district, which has recently been connected with Khulna through 65km rail link.
On November 2, commercial train operations connecting Khulna with capital Dhaka via Padma Bridge through Jashore, Darshana in Chuadanga, Poradaha junction in Kushtia district, Kushtia town, Kalukhali of Rajbari, Bhatiapara of Gopalganj and Bhanga of Faridpur began cutting travel time two hours as people can now reach Dhaka from Khulna or vice-versa within 7 hours and 15 minutes.
However, commuters won’t have to cross the Rajbari district to go to Khulna in future as the construction works of railway track from Bhanga to Jashore via Gopalganj and Narail is in the final stage.
It is scheduled to be launched by June next year. It will reduce the distance between the capital and the south and south-western part of the country as well as Indian city of Kolkata.
The 1320 megawatt coal-fired Rampal Power Station has been constructed on an area of over 1834 acres of land at Rampal Upazila of Bagerhat District in Khulna.
Khulna is also famous for many ancient architectural heritage, culture which manifest plethora of beauty including Sha? Gombuj Moshjid located in Bagerhat, just 30km distant from Khulna city, another UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is the largest mosque in Bangladesh from the sultanate period (1352–1576). It was built during the Bengal Sultanate by Khan Jahan Ali, the governor of the Sundarbans. It has been described as "one of the most impressive Muslim monuments in the whole of South Asia."
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Khulna ahead of the national election likely to be held in January next year is very crucial for the people of this region.
She will address a mammoth public rally to be held at Khulna Circuit House Ground where she previously addressed a rally five years back on March 3, 2018.
She will inaugurate 24 development schemes and lay foundation stones of five others, including 10 structures of educational institutions.
She will join a view-exchange meeting with government officials of Khulna division, said additional deputy commissioner (General) Pulak Kumar Mondal.
Talking to BSS, city Mayor Abdul Khaleque said they will place an 18-point proposal to the premier during her rally including ensuring regular dredging of majors watercourses of the district-Rupsha, Bhairab and Mayur to prevent flooding in the area.
Khulna Chamber of Commerce and Industry Kazi Aminul Haque, said the people of Khulna are very happy for the visit of the premier alongside they have demands to her to full fill their dreams.
The demands included- work of Khulna airport construction should be begun immediately after withdrawing the postponement order on it, implementation of economic zone in Khulna and commencing gas supply on Khulna’s pipeline.
Brihattara Khulna Unnayan Sangram Samanway Committee, a platform of civil society of greater Khulna district, held a press conference in the city on Saturday to disclose their demands centering Bangabandhu’s daughter’s visit to Khulna.
The platform’s president Sheikh Ashrafuzzaman and secretary general Sheikh Mohammad Ali said their demands are upgrading Khulna-Mongla Bhanga road to four lane expressway, tunnel construction for connecting Rupsha, Terokhada and Dighalia upazilas with Khulna city, enhancing capacity of Mongla port though making infrastructural development and continuing dredging system, upgrading Jashore-Khulna highway to six-lane, implementation of economic zone in Khulna, establishment of separate cancer hospital, establishment of container station near to Mongla port to ease export-import, reopening all closed mills and factories including jute and paper mills, building a tourist hub centering the Sundarbans, ensuring regular dredging in Rupsha, Bhairab and Pashur rivers for reinstating navigability, introducing complete centre of Bangladesh Television, building a botanical garden and zoo, establishing marine academy and cadet college, nationalizing Khulna Alia Madrasah and Mahila Alia Madrasah, Ahsanullah College, Hazi Abdul Maleque College, Shahid Suhrawardy College, Dualatpur Diba Nishi College, construction of double rail line from Khulna to Darshana via Jashore, Khulna-Gopalganj rail line for reducing distance with Dhaka, implementation of Dhaka-Khulna rain connectivity via Kalna bridge.
In the 15 years last, the entire Khulna district saw massive development as the Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) implemented development projects at a cost of Taka 4,021.1 crore in all nine upazilas during the period, said LGED’s Khulna district officials .
The projects completed during 2009-2023 fiscal year are 2,502 km roads at a cost of TK 1,903 crore while Taka 597 crore was spent for renovation and maintenance of 704 km roads.
The other projects were completed during the period are - 107 bridges and culvert at a cost of Taka 875 crore, construction of 7 Upazila Parishad Complex at a cost of Tk 51 crore, construction of 8 Upzilla Server Station at a cost of Tk 10 crore, 33 Union Parishad Complex at a cost of Tk 36 crore, 42 hut-bazar-ghat and growth center at a cost of Tk 33 crore, construction of 83 cyclone center at a cost of Tk 152 crore, construction of 507 primary schools and extension of class room at Tk151crore.
The projects of rural development include development of water resources on 8,450 acres of land at a cost of Tk 19 crore, 65 km canal digging at a cost of Tk 8 crore, maintenance of 16 regulators at a cost of Tk 0.71crore, construction of 4 km barrage at a cost of Tk 3.58 crore.
A total of 10 Upzila construction of Muktijoddha Complexes, 24 residence for freedom fighters at a cost of Tk 35 crore, and maintenance of 7 historical places, museums, and 6 Freedom Fighters Memorials of Liberation War at a cost of Tk 6 crore.
Besides, a total of 22 land offices in cities and unions were built at a cost of Tk 21 crore.
Construction of District Shilpakala Academy building and Muktomoncho were built at a cost of Tk 1.81 crore.
A total of 175 religious establiments including mosques, temples, crematoriums were built at a cost of Tk 6 crore,
Apart from these, excavation of 39 ponds and canals were carried out at a cost of TK 8 crore, and construction of one Urban Primary Health Care Service Center was built at a cost of Tk 8 crore and social safety net at a cost of Tk 96 crore.
When contacted executive engineer of Khulna LGED A K M Anisuzzaman told BSS around 20 running projects involving cost of Tk 661 crore will be completed in the current fiscal year.
