Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today said her government is implementing projects to ensure its overall development maintaining natural beauty to make it a major global tourist destination.

She said: "It is solely needed to build Cox's Bazar as a global tourist city. So, I request all particularly the inhabitants of Cox's Bazar not to construct establishments in an unplanned way."

She made the remarks while inaugurating a newly constructed eco-friendly multi-storey office building of the Cox's Bazar Development Authority, joining virtually from her official Ganabhaban residence here.

The Ministry of Housing and Public Works and Cox's Bazar Development Authority jointly organised the function at Beer Muktijoddha Playground in Cox's Bazar.

The prime minister, according to her, had already instructed to prepare a master plan to ensure planned development surrounding the Cox's Bazar following the international standard to attract both foreign and local tourists.
 
She directed the authorities concerned to focus on maintaining natural beauty, environment and biodiversity in taking development programmes for Cox's Bazar beach.
 
She also said, "We will have to take development programmes for Cox's Bazar beach, not only with bricks and woods, but rather to integrate nature, environment and biodiversity."
 
"If this can be done in a planned way, it will not be tough to create a forest on the 80 miles or 120 kilometres long beach. We must have to protect our environment," the PM said.

State Minister of the Ministry of Housing and Public Works Sharif Ahmed and its Secretary Md. Shahid Ullah Khandaker, spoke on the occasion while Chairman of Cox's Bazar Development Authority Lt. Col (retd) Forkan Ahmed, gave the welcome address.
 
The prime minister said her government is working to upgrade the Cox's Bazar Airport as an international one because it falls on the international air route
 
"We are constructing the rail link from Chattogram for smooth transportation of the people to the tourist city and the works will be completed soon," she said.
 
The prime minister said they have taken special programmes to ensure overall development of various islands such as Maheshkhali, Teknaf, Sonadia, Shah Pari, Kutubdia, and Saint Martin to transform Cox's Bazar into an attractive global tourist destination. 

BDST: 1818 HRS, MAY 18, 2022
MSK/SMS