Myanmar objects, Naf tourism park work stopped

[Black_cats]

Myanmar objects, Naf tourism park work stopped​

According to the information received from Beja, the government approved the master plan of Naf Tourism Park on February 19, 2020. There are plans to build hotels and eco cottages for tourists, cable cars, suspension bridges and floating jetties.

Arifur Rahman
Dhaka
Update: 21 June 2023, 21:39

Jaliar Island at the mouth of Naf Riverfile image
The development of Naf Tourism Park has been stopped in the face of Myanmar's objection. The park was supposed to be built on Jaliar Island located at the mouth of Naf River in Teknaf, Cox's Bazar. Myanmar has objected to taking sand from the Naf River for the park.

Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority (BEZA) is developing a number of tourism hubs, one of which is Naf Tourism Park. Through a long legal battle with the former member of parliament, Abdur Rahman Badi, the government got the land of Jaliar Island, the designated site of Naf Tourism Park. The area of the island is 291 acres.

As we see, Myanmar is also dredging their part. We complain to the country with all the facts. Then they also stopped dredging.

Sheikh Yusuf Harun, Executive Chairman, Beza

According to the information received from Beja, the government approved the master plan of Naf Tourism Park on February 19, 2020. There are plans to build hotels and eco cottages for tourists, cable cars, suspension bridges and floating jetties. Bejar also plans to develop various tourist facilities on the island, including a children's park, underwater restaurant, floating restaurant.

Beza Executive Chairman Sheikh Yusuf Haroon visited Naf Tourism Park last month. He made a report back from there. He mentioned that the island is now a buffalo pasture. Currently there is no development. He told Prothom Alo in his office on Sunday that the cost will be much higher if soil is brought by alternative means instead of taking it from Naf river. Can't go that way.

The contractor is gone​

On one side of Jaliar Island is Myanmar, on the other side is the Netong Hills of Bangladesh. Beza considered the island as a potential tourist park. According to the information of the organization, the land development work of the first phase of the tourism park started in 2020. A contractor named MM Builders got the job. They had completed 50 percent of the filling work by lifting soil from Naf river.
According to Beja sources, Myanmar formally objected to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in early 2022. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs informed Beza. Meanwhile, not finding any alternative, the contractor left without completing the soil filling work.

Bazar officials say that the Myanmar government objected and said that mining (dredging) in the Naf river would require mutual consent. In that regard, they recalled a bilateral agreement concluded in 1962 on the withdrawal of Naf river water and other issues. Myanmar also objected (2019) to the extraction of soil from the Naf River for Sabrang, another tourist resort in Teknaf. Beja then brought soil from around Shah Pari Island.

BEZA Executive Chairman Sheikh Yusuf Haroon visited the Teknaf project area in early 2022 after Myanmar raised objections. He told Prothom Alo about this, 'We see that Myanmar is also dredging in their part. We complain to the country with all the facts. Then they also stop dredging.'

The soil is in the river again​

Beza officials said that the soil that was filled in the Naf Tourism Park is being washed away by rainwater and is flowing into the river. They also said that along with land development, construction of boundary wall was going on in 22 acres of land at the same time. The contractor left without completing the work.

It is not known precisely how much money the government has spent on Naf Tourism Park so far. However, Bezar officials have estimated that 30 crore rupees have been spent on various works including feasibility study, soil filling, construction of boundary wall.

Beja sources say that the government wants to give the job to a foreign company without leaving Naf Tourism Park unused. It wants to give the organization, which will do the whole infrastructure work including land development. But such institutions are not available. Two investment institutions from Türkiye and Germany initially showed interest in investing. But now there is no response.

Beja is giving preference to China to get investment in NAF Tourism Park. Last year, Beza had written to the Chinese embassy in Dhaka requesting to find the investment firm. This is because Beza believes that if the Chinese investor gets the job, he will be able to convince Myanmar to extract soil from the Naf River.
Beza Executive Chairman Sheikh Yusuf Harun told Prothom Alo about the letter sent to the Chinese Embassy, that no response has been received yet.

https://www.prothomalo.com/bangladesh/q8qb32eda5

 

[bluesky]

Hasina Bibi claims India, China and many others support BD because she is the PM. But, she is helpless when Burma stopped the development of Naf Park.

She appeases every country in the neighborhood and they do not care about BD. A strong foreign policy should be pursued and not the Hijra policy of friendship to all.

There was a Naf war in 2000. Our BDR fought against both Burmese Nasaka and military, and repulsed them after 600 of them were killed by the BDR without the participation of BA troops.

Hasina made BDR a type of Hijra by killing its officers in Pilkhana and pursued a sweet Hijra friendship policy with every country on the map.

 

[saif]

A proactive foreign policy and some balls would help Bangladesh stand against rogue country like Burma.