People should respond to PM's call to defeat terrorists: Quader

Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said here on Friday that all the conscious citizens of the country should respond to the call of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and work together in defeating terrorism and militancy.

"All the conscious citizens of the country should play a positive role in resolving the ongoing national crisis. The government would take strong step strengthening its activities to keep the people of the country safe, secure and in peace," he said.

Obaidul Quader said this while talking to reporters at Meghla, a tourists' centre, in Sadar upazila here. 

The minister said that there was no problem of the home-bound people during their journey to their ancestral homes on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr as they could reach their destinations without any hassle and the government also felt relieved as the people throughout the country could celebrate the festival peacefully this year.

He said that the government has already taken an initiative to construct a road between Ramgarh and Ukhia with a view to building border security and communication network in Chittagong Hill Tracts and the work in this regard will start within a year. 

The minister also informed that the government has allocated Taka 185 crore for increasing the height of 1400-metre road at three points on Bandarban-Keranihat Road and widening of 22 kms of roads by 18 to 24 feet to protect the district headquarters including sadar upazila from floods. Obaidul Quader said that work on the said project will begin in the next dry season.

The minister also paid a visit to the road areas at Baitul Ijjat, Amtoli and Bazalia which went under water due to onrush of waters from hilly areas following incessant rains two days back. 

State Minister for Chittagong Hill Tracts affairs Bir Bahadur, MP, Deputy Commissioner Dilip Kumar Banik and police super Mizanur Rahman were present, among others.

Source: BSS