Cox's Bazar Sea Beach
'Take integrated bid to save natural beauties'
Development plan has been taken to revitalise economic, social and cultural opportunities available in the Cox's Bazar region by conserving gifts of nature and environment for the inhabitants as well as the visitors
Speakers at a seminar stressed the need of integrated efforts of all ministries to save the natural beauties and ecological balance of Cox's Bazar Sea Beach, the world's longest natural sandy sea beach.
The seminar on "Preparation of Development Plan for Cox's Bazar Town and Sea-Beach up to Teknaf," a project of Urban Development Directorate (UDD), was held at the city's Bangladesh Institute of Planers (BIP) auditorium in the city yesterday.
UDD organised the seminar to present final report on the plan of the project. Prof Dr Nurul Islam Nazem gave a power point presentation on the report at the seminar with Housing and Public Works (Development) Joint Secretary Zillar Rahman was in the chair.
Sheltec Consultants Ltd prepared the report after surveying about 80,000 acres of Cox's Bazar, Mahashkhali and Technaf municipality and St Martin Island, including Cox's Bazar city to Technaf sea beach area.
The purpose of the plan is to revitalizing economic, social and cultural opportunities available in the region by conserving gifts of nature and environment for the inhabitants and visitors of the area.
Speakers said the government should not only publish gazette notification of the proposed plan but also should take necessary steps to implement this project.
Urban experts said the real estate companies are setting up high-rise buildings on the sea beach violating the environment law.
This illegal structure will severely harm the ecological balance of the sea, they fear.
They warned that unless the people stop building concrete buildings after grabbing lands of St Martin Island, it will totally lose its natural beauties and tourists.
Participants of the seminar also urged the government to form a high powered body to co-ordinate the projects of different ministries under the supervision of Prime Minister's office to compile the development activities of the area.
Experts also stressed the need of inclusion of way out to deal with natural disasters in the master plan of the project.
BIWTA Chairman Abdul Malek Mia, Director of Urban Development Directorate AZM Tazul Islam, Cox's Bazar Municipality Mayor Raz Behari Das and Architect Ismail also addressed the programme.
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