Development of Chittagong: Problems and Prospects”. State Minister for Law, Justice and Parliamentary Affairs Quamrul Islam said economically potential port city to be elevated into real commercial capital within the tenure of present government.

Private sectors should put in much effort side by side with the government to this end, he added.

“The city can be turned into a desired tourist destination through implementing coordinated development plans with the involvement of both public and private sectors,” the state minister said while speaking as the chief guest at a seminar Saturday night at the historic Muktijudder Bijoy Mela being held at MA Aziz Stadium.

The title of the maiden day seminar part of the five-day seminar series was ” Development of Chittagong: Problems and Prospects”.

Vice Chancellor of Dhaka University AAMS Arefin Siddique presided over the function. Former chief engineer of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) Sultan Mahmud and former chairman of IEB, Chittagong centre Ali Ashraf presented two separate keynote papers.

Engineer Mahmud Islam and Chairman of Chittagong WASA AKM Fazlullah took part in the discussion.

State Minister for Law Quamrul Islam said Chittagong had occupy important place in the country in terms of historical and heritage points of view.

He said the city carried immense importance for its huge economic prospects and vast natural resources. “Considering all this aspects, the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has attached utmost importance for the development of this region and herself taken responsibility on her shoulder to accelerate the uplift of the area” the state minister pointed out.

He said the primary work for the development of Chittagong in line with the government’s prior commitment had already been started. He expressed the hope that the port city would elevate into a real commercial capital of the country within the tenure of the government.

In this context, he urged the private entrepreneurs to put in their maximum efforts to supplements the government plan, as only government could not alone materialise the giant scheme.

Speaking at the seminar, Prof Arefin Siddque said honest and educated leadership was a must for planned and sustainable development of the country as such leadership could only ensure good governance.

Terming the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman “source of power” of the Bengali nation, he said Bangabandhu gifted Independence to the nation through his consistent and sagacious leadership.

He asked the new generation to obtain lesson from the colourful and struggling life of Bangabandhu and utilise it for nation building activities

The Bangladesh government Sunday said the clock would be moved back by one hour at 11:59pm, not exactly at midnight on December 31, dispelling confusion over turning clocks back from the Daylight Saving Time (DST). 

In an attempt  to dismiss widespread confusion over the introduction of Daylight Saving Time (DST), the government yesterday clarified that clocks should be adjusted back one hour from 11:59pm to 10.59pm on December 31.

The clock will be set back by an hour to the original position on December 31 as the government decided to introduce variable timings for the summer and the rest of the year from 2010.

Introducing DST adds more sunlight to winter afternoons while the mornings have less which is believed to reduce energy consumption.

The cabinet approved the decision to implement DST on June 2 and it first came into effect on June 19, when the clocks went forward one hour.

On December 24 the cabinet with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as chair decided that the clocks would go back by one hour on December 31.

Power Secretary Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad has confirmed that the clocks will again change at 11:59pm on 31 October 2010 when the time will become 10:59pm.

This period of DST will continue until March 31, 2011.

Under the new timings, the clock will again be advanced by an hour from March 31 for the hot days till October 31 “every year as a measure to save electricity”, PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters after the meeting.

The high-power-consuming summertime over, the clock will again tick back an hour to the original Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) on October 31 midnight.

Earlier, the government pushed forward the clock an hour on June 19 to better utilise daylight and save electricity following a decision of the cabinet meeting on June 1.

The power-saving measure was taken in the wake of nagging power crisis in the country.