CA For Integrated Development Of Transport System Without Harming The Environment

Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today urged for the accelerated and integrated development of the country’s road, rail, air, and water transport systems, ensuring that nature, the environment, and rivers remain unharmed.

“We must carry out this task without damaging the environment. The rivers must not be harmed, the water must remain calm, and we must remember that water is one of our greatest resources,” he said.

The Chief Adviser made these remarks while presiding over an inter-ministerial meeting on the marginal evaluation and strategic planning of the “Central Integrated Multimodal Transport Sector Master Plan of Bangladesh” at the State Guest House Jamuna, according to a press release from the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing issued this afternoon.

Observing that the country’s transport system is currently in a chaotic state, Prof Yunus cautioned, “If it is not brought under discipline soon, the entire system could become a noose around the neck of the economy.”

Planning Adviser Wahiduddin Mahmud, Road Transport and Bridges as well as Railways Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Shipping Adviser Brig. Gen. (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hossain, Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Adviser Asif Mahmud Sajib Bhuiyan, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant on Road, Transport and Bridges and Railways ministries Dr Sheikh Moinuddin, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Chief Adviser’s Special Assistant on the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications and Information Technology Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, and other senior officials were present.

During the meeting, the Roads and Highways Department presented a preliminary strategic plan developed through coordination among officials from relevant ministries.

The plan outlined how the overall transport system could be streamlined through better coordination among existing communication networks, alongside necessary reforms and expansions. It highlighted that efficient utilization and limited expansion of the current railways, waterways, and highways could bring significant improvements to the sector.

Praising the officials for formulating a coordinated national transport plan, the Chief Adviser said the initiative provides a strong conceptual foundation and should now move toward effective implementation.

Stressing that the plan must be aligned with the nation’s broader goal of economic prosperity, Prof Yunus also underscored the need to strengthen regional and global connectivity.

“When we consider rivers as a mode of communication, we must remember that rivers are our lifeline,” the Chief Adviser added.

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