The Anwara Foundation has submitted a 17-point memorandum to the chairman of the Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) urging the authorities to protect agricultural land, rehabilitate affected families and safeguard the rights of local communities.
The memorandum was handed over to CDA Chairman Engineer Belayet Hossain at his office at noon on Wednesday last.
“Anwara-Karnaphuli is one of the fastest-changing areas of Chattogram”, the foundation mentioned warning that though it welcomes development in the region, loss of agricultural land, livelihoods, waterways and canals might create long-term social and environmental problems.
Planned urban development cannot be achieved simply by acquiring land and creating plots it said stressing the need to ensure essential civic facilities, including water supply, sewerage, roads, electricity, education, healthcare, playgrounds and open spaces.
CDA is proceeding with plans to acquire more than 7,000 acres of land in different areas of Baro Uthan, Chaturi, Bairag and Barakhain unions of Anwara.
The organization urged the CDA for greater public participation in the draft master plan for the Chattogram Metropolitan Area and considering the concerns and rights of local residents while finalising future development plans.
The leaders also called for ensuring that future development projects are environmentally sustainable, people-oriented and designed with adequate rehabilitation measures for those affected by land acquisition.
Former Anwara Foundation president and freedom fighter Abu Taher Mahmud, freedom fighter Raja Mia, writer and researcher Jamal Uddin, Anwara Foundation President freedom fighter Nasir Uddin Ahmed Shah, General Secretary M. Nurul Huda Chowdhury, former vice-president of Chattogram Maa-O-Shishu Hospital Engineer Jabed Absar Chowdhury, Organising Secretary Sagar Mitra, Joint Secretary Parimal Dutta, Office Secretary Jishu Das, businessman Mohammad Harun, Prakash Sarkar, Jasim Uddin and Saju Das were present among others during submission of the memorandum.
