Ctg integrated govt office complex to house PM’s office also

The first Integrated Government Office Complex, to be built in Chattogram's Hamid Char on the banks of the Karnaphuli River, will house a separate office for the prime minister.

"At the office designed in the likeness of Natore's Uttara Ganabhaban, the prime minister will be able to carry out her state-duties while visiting the port city," KM Ali Azam, senior secretary at the public administration ministry told The Business Standard after visiting the project site on Thursday.

With the design finalised, the construction of the complex is to start following the environmental survey.

The design will be placed for the prime minister's approval by the end of this month, said Deputy Commissioner (DC) Md Mominur Rahman.

In October 2021, the district administration of Chattogram announced they were planning the first integrated government office complex in Chittagong on 110 acres of land along the Karnaphuli river. Initially, the complex was named 'Mini Secretariat for Chattogram' and was later renamed Integrated Government Office. It will be built in the likeness of Malaysia's administrative capital Putrajaya, covering an area equal to about 83 football fields.

Architect Kakali Biswas, who designed the complex, said the present design has been finalised after three revisions. Besides 44 government offices, the complex will house hospitals, circuit houses, government training centres, international convention centres, shopping malls, multi-storey car parking, government schools, colleges, nursing institutes, transport pools, petrol pumps, memorials, a novo theatre, and mosques.

"Initially, we planned the initiative on 75 acres of land. Later more areas will be included in the project as required according to instructions of the prime minister," said Ali Azam.

"We will build the infrastructure based on the services that people may need," he said, adding that the geological survey has already been completed.

Upon a government directive, the Ministry of Public Administration recently took an initiative to remove various government offices and court buildings from the Court Hill area, otherwise known as Parir Pahar. The archaeology department of the Ministry of Culture Affairs has already declared Parir Pahar an archaeological landmark.

Chattogram's Divisional Commissioner Kamrul Hasan said, "The location for the complex is ideal as communication access to the place is easy and people can get government services without any hassle and can even use the waterways to go to the complex."

This project is located just seven kilometres away from the Zero Point of Chattogram and the district administration has already completed the work of selecting 73.42 acres of land close to Bangabandhu Maritime University, a kilometre west of Kalurghat Bridge.

The Karnaphuli River is on one side of the project site, and marine drive road construction is in progress on the other.

"Currently there are two roads to access the project area. However, with the next 50 years in mind, a total of five alternative communication systems, including the marine drive and link road will be created in the near future," said DC Mominur.