Ahead of Prime Minister Tarek Rahman’s upcoming visit to Sylhet on May 2, the Administrator of Sylhet City Corporation-SCC, Abdul Qayyum Chowdhury, has inspected project sites related to flood control infrastructure and urban beautification in Sylhet Metropolitan City.
During a visit to the Keane Bridge area on Sunday (April 26) afternoon, he told journalists, “We want to bring Sylhet, which has lagged behind, into the mainstream of development. The Honorable Prime Minister is very supportive of us in this regard. Under his initiatives, several large-scale projects—including the upgrading of the Dhaka–Sylhet highway to six lanes and the construction of a double railway line—will be implemented, which will play a vital role in the overall development of Sylhet.”
Describing the Prime Minister’s upcoming visit as highly significant, he said, “This visit is very much anticipated for us. It will be his first visit to Sylhet after becoming Prime Minister. We welcome his arrival and are making all necessary preparations to ensure its success.”
The SCC Administrator also mentioned that a major project has been undertaken to transform Sylhet into a green and clean city. Under this project, necessary infrastructure will be developed along both banks of the Surma River, including flood protection measures, walkways, beautification and installation of sluice gates. There are plans to conserve and develop approximately 15 kilometers along both riverbanks. The Prime Minister will lay the foundation stone of this project.
He further said that initiatives have been taken to revive the dying Surma River, including dredging and other development works. The Bangladesh Water Development Board has undertaken a river dredging project from Amalshid in Zakiganj to Markuli in Sunamganj–Habiganj. This will improve the navigability of the Surma and Kushiyara rivers and help reduce waterlogging.
He also informed that during the visit, the Prime Minister will inaugurate various programs, including the national-level ‘Notunkuri Sports 2026’ and canal excavation initiatives.
During the inspection, the SCC Administrator provided necessary directives to the concerned officials and urged them to work in coordination to ensure the success of the visit.
Among those present were Sylhet Deputy Commissioner Md Sarwar Alam, SCC Secretary Md Ashiq Noor, Chief Engineer Md Ali Akbar, Chief Revenue Officer Biswajit Dev, Chief Waste Management Officer Lt Col (Retd) Mohammad Eklim Abedin, Executive Engineer (Civil) Razi Uddin Khan, Executive Engineer (Electrical) Joydeb Biswas, Assistant Engineers Anshuman Bhattacharjee and Lipu Singh, Public Relations Officer Nehar Ranjan Purkayastha, and other concerned officials.
It is worth mentioning that during his visit, Prime Minister Tarek Rahman will not only participate in various programs but also lay the foundation stone of the flood control and beautification project in the metropolitan city and attend a civic gathering organized by SCC. He will also exchange views with party leaders and activists. Press release