Shawdesh desk:

South Korean Ambassador Lee Jang-keun has highlighted the planned cooperation project to prepare a master plan of urban transportation for the Chattogram Metropolitan Area, which will include mass transit line and metro rail.

He disclosed it during his courtesy meeting with the Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation Md Rezaul Karim Chowdhury on Monday (Feb 7).

Expressing his willingness to engage actively with Chattogram in strengthening bilateral friendly ties between Korea and Bangladesh, Ambassador Lee briefed on various cooperation programmes Korea has been conducting in Chattogram such as the Chattogram BKTTC (Bangladesh-Korea Technical Training Center), the establishment of Cyber Investigation Center in the Chattogram Police, Bhandal Jhuri Water Supply Project with C-WASA and Karnaphuli Railway cum Road Bridge.

In particular, the Korean envoy explained the planned cooperation project to prepare a master plan of urban transportation for the Chattogram Metropolitan Area which will include mass transit line and metro rail.

The project will be implemented between 2022 and 2024 through KOICA, Korea’s international development agency, with a total cost of 6 million US dollars.

This project is expected to contribute to the urban and infrastructure development of Chattogram, the second largest city of and a gate city to Bangladesh, as well as reducing the city’s increasing traffic congestion problem.

A group of Korean experts led by Professor Chang Il-joon, an urban transportation specialist, are visiting Bangladesh from February 4 to 16 and will have meetings with stakeholders of Bangladesh both in Dhaka and Chattogram.

During the meeting, Ambassador Lee sought Mayor Chowdhury’s support to the Korean community in Chattogram for their safe living and successful operation of their business.

Around 300 Koreans living in Chattogram area are mostly investors and business people. Baek Jin-hyuck, President of the Chattogram Korean Community Association also presented at the meeting.

Ambassador Lee, as a way of strengthening engagement with Chattogram, shared his plan to organise a cultural programme in Chattogram this year, in cooperation with the Korean community and local organisation, in particular, a Korean Film Festival.

On October 17, 2021, the Korean Embassy and Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI), in cooperation with Korea-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KBCC), organised a Korea-Bangladesh Business Round Table meeting at the CCCI.

The meeting provided a meaningful occasion to increase interactions between the Chattogram business community and Korean business companies.

Ambassador Lee also met with the Chairman of Chattogram Development Authority, M. Zahirul Alam Dubash, on Monday (Feb 7). Ambassador Lee and Chairman Dubash discussed ways to further promote Korea’s engagement with Chattogram, particularly in implementing numerous development projects in Chattogram Metropolitan Area.