State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin. File Photo

CHATTOGRAM, Aug 19, 2026 (BSS) - A total of 329 out of 450 development projects planned for implementation within the first 180 days of the government have been completed in the Chattogram-5 (Hathazari-Bayezid partial) constituency.

Of the projects, all 27 implemented with government funding have been completed, while another 48 projects are currently under implementation, with an average completion rate of 64 percent.

The initiatives cover local roads, bridges and culverts, canal excavation, drainage and waterlogging mitigation, water supply, electricity and irrigation, as well as mosques, Eidgahs, madrasas, educational institutions, temples and crematoriums.

According to officials, 38 projects have been completed at mosques and Eidgahs, 25 at madrasas and Hefzkhana, and 15 at educational institutions. Nineteen projects have been implemented to address canal and waterlogging problems, while 12 bridges and culverts have been constructed to improve connectivity.

Another 48 government-funded projects in water, electricity and irrigation have been completed. Initiatives to recover government land and properties have also been implemented.

Hathazari Upazila Nirbahi Officer Mohammad Abdullah Al Mumin said State Minister for Land and Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin had prioritized projects based on local needs and directed officials to implement them quickly.

"Comprehensive development initiatives are being implemented across the area in line with the state minister's directives," he told BSS.

Local BNP leader and Hathazari Municipality convener Zaker Hossain said the development activities carried out in the past six months were unprecedented compared with the previous 17 years.

He said recovery of government property had helped ease traffic congestion around Hathazari bus station, while canal excavation and the construction and repair of drains had reduced waterlogging in several areas.

He added that initiatives were also being taken to establish a 600-bed hospital and a mini stadium in the area.

"State Minister Mir Helal has been regularly present in Hathazari for the past 20 years, which has helped him understand the area's needs," Zaker said.

Mir Helal said 180 days was a short period, but he had sought to remain committed to the expectations of the people.

"A government earns the trust of the people not through promises alone, but through tangible progress," he told BSS.

He said the development programme was being implemented on four principles-development, transparency, accountability and meeting people's basic needs.

He also said initiatives had been taken for the development of the Chattogram Hill Tracts, including measures to address water shortages in remote hilly areas and plans for broader development of the region.

To ensure transparency, progress on projects is being regularly updated on the state minister's official website. A comprehensive database is also being developed to record and monitor all initiatives under the action plan.

Meanwhile, a fully automated land service application has been launched to allow citizens to access various land-related services, including payment of land development tax, deposit of registration fees, collection of ledgers and DCR copies and issuance of ledger certificates.

Mir Helal attributed the development drive to the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, saying the government was working to build a "new Bangladesh" by improving people's quality of life.