Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today inaugurated 73 newly completed development works and laid foundation stones of 30 others in Mymensingh. The 73 development works have been implemented under 23 projects at a cost of Tk 570 crore, while 30 other development works will be implemented under 14 projects at the cost of Tk 2,762 crore. The premier unveiled the name plaques of the development works before addressing a mammoth public rally at the Circuit House ground in Mymensingh city. Read more: PM Hasina to inaugurate 23 projects in Mymensingh on Saturday The development works opened today include mural of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman adjacent to the central Shaheed Minar of Mymensingh, the 50-bed Dr Mushfiqur Rahman Shubho Memorial Islamic Mission Hospital at Sirta village in Sadar upazila, construction of a 1000-seat auditorium and community center at Trishal upazila, sanitation projects including water supply and human waste management in 32 municipalities, construction of 4-storey academic buildings in 21 schools and colleges, five bridges, construction of two monuments, three markets and six buildings, construction of seven box culverts and 70-km roads, construction a six-storey building for Mymensingh District Social Service Office, construction of two Ansar barracks, development of 10-km roads and 3.5-km RCC drain in Mymensingh city, installation of lampposts and garden lights in Mymensingh city, construction of embankment to protect Charalgi union of Gafargaon from erosion caused by the Brahmaputra river, construction of Mymensingh Sadar Upazila Parishad Complex Bhaban, construction of new Mymensingh Sadar Upazila Parishad Hospital, development of Gorbakura-Karaitli land port at Haluaghat, construction of Sheikh Kalam Indoor Stadium, Institute of Health Technology, construction of the main building of District Lawyers Association (Shaheed Advocate Nazrul Islam Bhaban) and three Upazila Health Complexes in three upazilas. Among the development works whose foundation stones were laid include development of the road and drainage network of Mymensingh, development of electricity distribution system development project in Mymensingh zone, construction of three bridges, construction of hostel for working women in Fulbaria of Mymensingh, construction of Deshratna Sheikh Hasina Hall, Sheikh Rehana Hall and Rosy Jamal Hall in Bangladesh Agricultural University, construction of 500-bed five-storey student hostel in Government Ananda Mohan College, construction of 7 regional offices for Bangladesh Public Service Commission, construction of a four-story office and dormitory building for additional director of the agricultural extension department in the greater Mymensingh region and development of roads and drainage network in Mymensingh city. Read more: PM inaugurates 26 dev projects worth Tk 1,333 cr in Rajshahi

Construction of a ferry ghat and connecting road in a location between two LGP plants in Mongla port industrial area may create major risks for the two sensitive establishments. Such concern was expressed by the two largest private operators of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – Omera LPG and Jamuna LPG which opposed the construction of the road and the Laudoba ferry ghat in between their plants in Mongla port area. They also requested the authorities concerned to build the road and ferry ghat at any alternative location so that movement of the foreign LPG carriers to their plants is not obstructed. The LPG operators claimed that the Roads and Highways Department is constructing the road by violating the land policy of the Mongla Port Authority (MPA). They alleged that such construction may lead to a risk of serious accidents in the navigation of Mongla port and also the two LPG plants set up on both sides of the road. The MPA is also not happy to see this road being built through the industrial area of the port by creating obstacles to the Pashur channel. Both Jamuna and Omera LPG plant authorities have lodged complaints with various departments including the MPA, opposing the construction of this road to avoid the risk of accidents. Read: Another Russian shipment for Rooppur arrives at Mongla Port The Roads and Highways Department undertook the project to construct the road and ferry ghat at a cost of Tk 1.90 crore to facilitate the movement of the local people from Dakop upazila to Khulna. Receiving the complaints, initially, the MPA blocked the construction work. But later, the construction work resumed following a verbal permission from the Ministry of Shipping. Meanwhile, President of LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) and owner of Omera Petroleum Azam J Chowdhury met the chairman of the port authority, Rear Admiral M Musa, and requested him through a letter not to allow the construction of the proposed road and ferry ghat between Omera and Jamuna LPG plants in the port industrial area. Officials of the Mongla Port Authority said that they have not given any permission for the construction of the structures through the port industrial area in Bagerhat.   They said if the proposed road and ferry ghat are constructed, the navigation system of the Pashur River channel of the port will be under threat and the navigability there will be reduced.

Works of development projects are being hampered because of sand crisis as there is no fixed sand quarry (Balu Mahal) in Kurigram, government officials say.   A proposal from Rajarhat upazila administration for setting up nine sand quarries is yet to be approved by the government.   Sources say sand traders have long been lifting and selling sand illegally from different places in Rajarhat upazila using about 50 dredgers.   Rajarhat Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Jubayer Hossain confiscated and burned some of the dredgers during drives. Sand lifting remained suspended for a month which triggered sand crisis in the upazila.   According to the upazila Local Government Engineering Department (LGED) office, the ongoing development projects are - construction of 2,250-metre road at a cost of Tk 1.72 crore, 3,244-metre road for Tk 2.44 crore in Rajarhat union, work of 1,372-metre road at Tk 86.82 lakh, work of 1,028-metre road for Tk 67.38 lakh, work of 1,327-metre road at Tk 86.82lakh in Gharialdanga union, work of 100-metre road at a cost of Tk 62.18 lakh in Chhinai union, work 1,462-metre road in Rajmallir hat of Umar Majid union, work of 1,068-metre road from Milerpar to Bidhyananda in Chakirposhar union and work of 1,500 metre road at a cost of Tk 1.6 crore from Kalirhat to Bijlir bazar in Bidyananda union.   Besides, different road construction projects at a cost of around Tk 50 crore under the Rural Road and Culvert Maintenance Programme, Important Rural Infrastructure Development on priority Basis (IRIDP) and Rural development project (RDP) of LGED are also underway.   Amid sand crisis, works of several roads have been kept suspended.   Abu Taher Md Safi Babu, an engineer of upazila LGED, said development works of different areas of the upazila has been put on hold due to sand crisis.   According to upazila administration office source, a proposal was sent to the concerned ministry through the district administration for setting up sand quarries at Juykumar of Chhinai union, Sarishabari of Gharialdanga union, Pathanhat and Shiber Dah of Chakirposhar union, Chotura and Kalirhat of Bidyananda union, and Somnarayan and Thutapaikor of Nazimkhan union. Till now, the proposal has not been approved.   Rajarhat Upazila Chairman Zahid Iqbal Suhrawardy said setting up the sand quarries will solve the sand crisis and help resume works of the development projects.