Bangabandhu Tunnel will contribute to socio-economic advancement of the region

HM Steel is the first industrial factory built near the Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Tunnel. In 2017, after the start of tunnel construction, HM Steel factory was built on 25 acres of land in Anwara upazila, on the south bank of the river.

The factory was built by the chairman of Mostafa Hakim Group and former mayor of Chattogram City Corporation M Manjurul Alam. It currently employs 1,500 people and has an annual production capacity of 250,000 tonnes of steel rods. The factory currently produces an average of 1,200 tonnes of rods per day.

Mustafa Hakim Group has been doing business in shipbreaking and steel sectors in Sitakunda for the past four decades.

In an interview with The Business Standard's senior staff correspondent Omar Faruque, Sarwar Alam, director of HM Steel, discussed the reasons and purpose for constructing a steel plant on the south bank of the Karnaphuli River.

When did HM Steel start building a factory on the south bank of the Karnaphuli River?

HM Steel started construction of a steel plant on the south bank of the Karnaphuli River in 2018, after the construction of the Bangabandhu Tunnel started in 2017. We understood that the opening of the tunnel would make communication with South Chattogram much easier. We went into full production in 2020.

Why did HM Steel choose the south bank of the river even though most of Chattogram's steel factories and shipyards are centred in Sitakunda?

HM Steel chose to build its factory on the south bank of the Karnaphuli River in Dangar Char because the main raw materials for steel are imported, and the river provides a direct and efficient route for transportation.

Around 90% of HM Steel's raw materials are imported from abroad in containers or mother vessels, and the remaining 10%-15% are supplied from ship breaking yards. The factory has its own jetty on the Karnaphuli River, which allows it to directly unload raw materials and ship finished products. This saves time and money, and reduces the environmental impact of transportation.

In addition, the Karnaphuli River provides a convenient and inexpensive route for transporting steel to many districts and upazilas in the country. HM Steel is able to use this route to supply steel to its customers quickly and efficiently.

What problems did you face to build the first heavy industry or steel factory on the bank?

Chattogram is a cyclone-prone area, so we had to build our factory to withstand strong winds and storm surges. We worked with experienced engineers from Bangladesh University of Engineering Technology (BUET) and Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET) to ensure that our factory is durable and strong. The cost of building the factory was higher than it would have been in a less hazardous location.

What problems do you currently face as a riverside factory?

Being a riverside factory, we sometimes face challenges such as production disruptions during cyclones due to high winds. Additionally, the high salinity of the river water requires us to use cement sheets instead of tin for factory construction.

If vehicular movement starts in the Bangabandhu Tunnel, what will be the benefits in the transportation of goods?

The Bangabandhu Tunnel will play a vital role in the transportation of goods by connecting Chattogram to the rest of Bangladesh and facilitating connectivity to the industrial zone being developed along the Bay of Bengal around Cox's Bazar, Matarbari, Maheshkhali, and Banshkhali.

The tunnel will make it easier and faster to transport goods across the country at a lower cost, particularly from the port city of Chattogram. This will benefit businesses and consumers alike, as it will reduce the time and cost of getting goods from one place to another.

What are your suggestions for building an industrial area on the south bank of the river around the tunnel?

Land prices in the region have been skyrocketing ever since the construction of the tunnel began. Those who have money are buying land. But if there is no planned industrialisation and urbanisation, the investment of thousands of crores of taka by the government will not be of much use. Therefore, the entire area from the south bank of the tunnel to Cox's Bazar has to be divided into different zones. If the planned industrialisation and housing are developed, the land will be properly used and it will also keep the environment safe.

What kind of industry do you think would be more suitable for this region?

Next to the tunnel is the Chattogram port and the Matarbari deep sea port is located in the south. Therefore, if an import-export dependent industrial zone is developed in this region, the cost of importing and exporting products will be reduced.

In order to implement the "one city two towns" concept for the south bank of the river, what additional measures can be considered apart from industrial development?

The presence of the Karnaphuli River has, until now, impeded urban expansion in South Chattogram, despite the government's desire to do so. With the forthcoming tunnel making transportation more convenient, we can strategically plan for residential and administrative infrastructure in the South Chattogram area to alleviate the urban pressure.

How do you feel being a partner in the construction of South Asia's first underwater tunnel?

The Bangabandhu Tunnel stands as South Asia's largest riverbed tunnel and it's worth noting that local construction materials were prioritised during its construction. This symbolises our nation's capability and fills the hearts of our 170 million people with pride.

This project is set to directly connect the core of Chattogram city to the southern riverbank, a significant step in moulding the city's development in line with the "one city, two towns" model, as seen in the renowned Chinese city of Shanghai. Furthermore, we firmly believe that this tunnel will be a direct contributor to the socio-economic advancement of the region.