Bangladesh is going to be connected with the network of World Trade Centre (WTC) through inauguration of the country’s first and lone WTC in the port city. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to inaugurate the WTC constructed by Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) in the city’s Agrabad commercial area on January 30. Along with inauguration of the WTC, CCCI would also organise a five-day elaborated programme marking its 100th anniversary to promote country’s tourism and brand Chittagong. .Bangladesh will enter a new era of business through the WTC where all facilities of trade and commerce would be available under the same roof, said CCCI President Mahbubul Alam while talking to the daily sun on Thursday. Construction of the WTC aimed at facilitating trade and commerce of the country from Chittagong, which is considered as the commercial hub of this region with the country’s premier sea port. CCCI constructed the 24-storey sophisticated and aesthetic building, also the tallest one in the port city, at a cost of around Tk 200 crore from its own fund, said the CCCI president. “We obtained license from the New York-based World Trade Centres Association for the WTC in Chittagong. An amount of over Tk 1 crore had to be spent for the license while $10,000 would have to be paid every year for its renewal,” said the business leader adding that CCC will run the WTC maintaining all standards of the WTC Association. CCCI President Mahbubul Alam said the building will house banks, exhibition hall, shopping mall, food court, IT zone, International Trade Institute, International standard convention hall, meeting room, International media and language centres, five-star international chain hotel, office floors, health club, banquet hall, tennis court, swimming pool and helipad on rooftop to offer all kinds of business related services. All the export items of the country will be kept in display at the permanent exhibition hall of the centre. Any buyer or intended businessman visiting the WTC from any corner of the globe will be able to know about his desired product very easily, said Mahbubul. The business delegations that would arrive in the country will be able to conduct their all business related works from the centre having all necessary facilities, he said. CCCI Chief Engineer (WTC) ASM Nasiruddin Chowdhury said construction of the WTC on a 75-katha of land beside the scenic Agrabad Deba in the Agrabad commercial area started in 2006. The 91-metre high building has 11 lifts, five pairs of escalator, eight emergency exit stairs, CCTV cameras and necessary fire fighting equipments for safety. “Alongside CCCI office, a good number of banks and other organisations have already started activities in the WTC building. All the works including interior decoration have almost been completed upto the seventh floors of the building,” said the engineer. The basement of the building comprising three storeys is designated for car parking area, fire fighting centre, security rooms and drivers’ lounge. The building will house bank and temporary exhibition halls on ground floor, bank, shopping mall and food court on first floor and office space on second floor. The CCCI Office spreading over 6,519 Square feet (Sq ft), the 8,550 Sq ft Permanent Exhibition Hall and the 7,552 Sq ft seminar hall are located on the 3rd floor of the WTC building. The building would have IT zone and International Trade Institute on the fourth floor, a huge space of 34,368 Sq-ft for 19 offices on the fifth floor, convention hall with back up area and banquet hall on seventh floor, tennis court and swimming pool on eighth floor, five-star hotel from ninth to nineteenth floor and helipad on twentieth floor, said Nasiruddin. Discussion is going on with different international five-star chain hotels including Grand Hyatt for setting up hotel at the WTC, he said. CCCI also has chalked out a five-day elaborated programme to observe its 100th anniversary from January 28 to February 1 where ministers, envoys, businessmen and leaders from different countries will participate. In this regard, CCCI President Mahbubul Alam said the programmes aims at promoting tourism and branding Chittagong as well as Bangladesh before the foreign guests. Organisers said as a part of the programmes, a ‘Light and Sound show’ will be organised from Chittagong Port Stadium to Agrabad area on January 28. A business conference in participation of businessmen from home and abroad and a youth conference of university students would be held at Radisson Blu Chittagong Bay View – a 5-star hotel of upper class international chain, on January 31. Besides, an ‘International Tourism Summit’ will take place at hill district of Rangamati on February 1. A cultural programme for the guests will also follow the summit, they said. Mentionable, CCCI is a pioneer chamber in the country and apex body of business people engaged in trade, commerce, Industry, agriculture and manufacturing in Chittagong.
