Transforming Cox’s Bazar into A Smart City to Be Initiated Next Month

The 20-year master plan to make Cox's Bazar a new, smart metropolis will likely start next month. Cox's Bazar is a popular tourist destination.

A masterplan for the tourist city is now being created by the Cox's Bazar Development Authority (CoxDA).

"We're working to formulate a masterplan for 20 years — from 2023 to 2043 — to transform Cox's Bazar into a smart city. The formal work to this end will start next month," Chairman of the CoxDA, Commodore (retd) Muhammed Nurul Absar, told reporters in a views-exchange meeting held at his office on Saturday.

Prime Minister's Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher also spoke at the programme.

To assure a planned growth for an aesthetically and environmentally sustainable Cox's Bazar, a comprehensive area plan is currently being developed.

A master plan for Cox's Bazar's development as a smart metropolis with all the requisite amenities was requested by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina earlier this year from the relevant authorities.

She also asked the authorities concerned to keep the beauty of the “longest natural unbroken sea beach” in the world unharmed.

According to the CoxDA chairman, Sheikh Hasina intends to turn Cox's Bazar into a major tourist and aviation destination by building a specialized foreign visitor attraction and a cutting-edge international airport with the nation's sole and longest maritime runway.

The CoxDA chairman also stated that the masterplan is being created in accordance with the prime minister's instructions.

It entails creating a strategic policy plan, a thorough map of Cox's Bazar's (690.67 sq km) coastal areas and upazilas, as well as strategies for tourism and regional development.

The masterplan's main components also include disaster management, creating a Smart City Model for Cox's Bazar, management of transportation, the environment, drainage and sanitation, utilities, socioeconomic development, and sectoral planning.

The CoxDA is working on a number of development projects to promote the Awami League government's stated goal of making Bangladesh a developed nation with a high income by the year 2041.

The projects include cable car installation from Cox's Bazar to Sabrong and Cox's Bazar to Moheshkhali, introducing watersports and other amusement facilities on the sea beach, indoor amusement park, CoxDA Marina Bay Resort, CoxDA Condominium Project, Eco-resort in Moheshkhali, protecting lives and boosting marine tourism, preparing a roadmap to tap potential of the blue economy, renewable energy project, installation of central sewerage treatment plant (STP), water treatment plan and introducing sea-plane, cruise ship and helicopter service and preparing integrated costal zone management plan.

CoxDA chairman Commodore (retd) Muhammed Nurul Absar said they are working to set up the central STP in Cox's Bazar, otherwise the Bay of Bengal will be a dead zone with huge amounts of sewerage going into the sea.

"Once the projects are completed, they can immensely contribute to achieve the targets of sustainable development goals," he said.

He added that they have already completed several projects that include reforming and rehabilitating Cox's Bazar's traditional Laldighi, Goldighi, markets and ponds, and building a multi-storey building for CoxDA.

The ongoing development schemes of the CoxDA are: building residential flats for CoxDA, sculpture and modern passenger shed at Moheshkhali, reforming and expanding the main road of Cox's Bazar (Holiday Crossing-Bazatghata-Larpara Bus Stand).