Beautification of the port city of Chittagong is going on prior to ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. PHOTO: ANURUP KANTI DAS

The port city is being refurbished to welcome Cricket World Cup 2011. Like other cricket loving places of the world, the city is waiting for the cricket extravaganza.
Through the Cricket World Cup, Bangladesh is introducing herself to the world as an organiser at an international level. As a host of two matches, the government and other related organisations took preparations to refurbish the city as a game village.
Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) and Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) are doing the beautification and facelift works. CCC is implementing the project worth Tk 86 crore. Of the amount, it will provide Tk 17 crore from its own fund.
Under this project, CCC is making three artificial fountains, three icons of Royal Bengal Tiger, steel-statue of Bangladesh team players and many billboards to welcome the players and guests.
The fountains are being set up at GEC, Wasa and Tigerpass intersections and the icons of Royal Bengal Tiger in front of Premier University Wasa campus and two others in the foothill of Tigerpass road.
Besides, CCC will erect a statue of Bangladesh team players in front of custom office, a model of five Sampans to be hanged with gas balloons at the estuary of Karnaphuli just at entrance of Shah Amanat International Airport. Another model of sampans will be set up at Jamal Khan intersection.
To uphold the culture and heritage of Bangladesh, CCC also has planned to set up a mural at Tigerpass intersection.
The city corporation will also decorate the roadsides of the port city. Under this project, the road from Sagorika, to GEC intersection will be colourfully painted. It requested residents and private and public offices to paint their houses and boundary walls.
But, most of the building owners did not paint their houses till January 31. CCC Deputy Secretary Md Shamsuddhoa told The Daily Star that they deployed many teams to advance the programme. He, in this regard, said mayor visited different government offices to request them for painting.
He hoped that they would be able to finish the work before the tournament begins.
He said the roads to be used by the players and ICC officials at time of world cup will be recarpeted. Of these roads, carpeting of Jakir Hossain Road is complete and carpeting of Agrabad Excess Road, Port Connecting Road and Nimtoli area in front of customs house are going on.
Most of the roads and dividers will be replenished with paints. They will repair the old dividers in some places and the dividers will have gardens.
The city corporation has set up automatic traffic signalling system costing Tk 1 crore to bring a radical change in traffic system.
To uphold the event, CCC will hoist 1,500 national flags of 14 participating countries in the main city streets and the roads will be decorated with festoons.
To clean the city, CCC collected nine dump trucks from abroad and would engage around 400 temporary workers in this regard. Chief (acting) Sewerage Officer Shafiqual Islam told the Daily Star that they are ready to keep the city neat and clean.
Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) oversees the Sagarika road renovation work of Tk 7.39 crore. The road is the main entrance to Jahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium.
About the present condition of the road, Project Director Mahfuzur Rahman said construction of the road will be complete within February 5.
Though CDA hoped to complete the road within February 15, sources said it will be difficult to complete the beautification in a month.
Mahfuzur said they hope to complete the works by the first week of March.