Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (November 11) inaugurated the much-awaited 102km Chattogram's Dohazari-Cox's Bazar Rail Line at a cost of Taka 18034.47 crore.
She said: "Today, the Cox's Bazar is linked with the railway connectivity. This is the day of feeling proud."
The premier was opening the rail line along with the iconic Cox's Bazar Railway Station unveiling a plaque at the newly constructed rail station here.
"I have kept my promise with inaugurating the railway. This was a longstanding demand of this region. The demand was met today," she added.
The prime minister joined the inauguration programme at the Cox's Bazar iconic railway station at 11:35am. The programme started at 11:40am.
She will also inaugurate 1200 MW Matarbari power plant and deep seaport's channel.
The entire district town, where the world's longest sandy sea beach locates, wore a festive mood ahead of the premier's visit as makeshift gates have been erected, banners and festoons carrying messages for welcoming Bangabandhu's daughter hoisted at important points of the town.
She will begin journey by train on the new railway line from Cox's Bazar station for Ramu station at 12pm.
Later, she will go to Ramu cantonment by road at 12.20pm. From there, the premier will go towards Matarbari Deep Sea Port Channel at Maheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar to join the inaugural ceremony of the channel at 2.30pm.
Sheikh Hasina, also Awami League (AL) president, will join a public meeting at Matarbari Thermal Power Plant Project's township ground at 3.15pm under the arrangement of AL's Maheshkhali Upazila unit.
Ashek Ullah Rafiq, Cox's Bazar-2 constituency lawmaker, said the people of Cox's Bazar district are eagerly waiting to welcome Bangabandhu's daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as the meeting is expected to turn into a human sea.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will also inaugurate the 1200 MW Matarbari thermal power plant's first unit (600 MW) located near deep seaport at Matarbari under Maheshkhali upazila in Cox's Bazar district.
She will inaugurate the Matarbari deep seaport's 14.3-kilometre-long artificial navigation channel stretching from the proposed terminal to the sea and lay the foundation stone for the construction of the first terminal of the port which is targeted to start operations in 2026.
The premier will also inaugurate the SPM (Single Point Mooring), which is expected to save about Tk. 800 crore annually. A single-point mooring or SPM, also known as Single buoy mooring (SrM, is a loading buoy anchored offshore, that serves as a mooring point and interconnect for tankers loading or offloading gas or liquid products.
Other projects including Matarbari Deep Sea Port's channel, Chattogram-Cox's Bazar dual-gauge single railway line, iconic Cox's Bazar station, first phase of 100% Reliable and Sustainable Electrification in Hatia Island, Nijhum Island, and Kutubdia Island" project to connect isolated Kutubdia with national grid through submarine power line and construction of 595m. long PC Box Girder Bridge over Bakkhali River at Kusturi Ghat under Sadar Upazila of Cox's Bazar district will also be inaugurated.
BDST: 1311 HRS, NOV 11, 2023
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