Legal Disputes Hindering Development in Cox’s Bazar

State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shah Alam has expressed concern that repeated legal challenges are delaying major development projects in Cox’s Bazar. He made the remarks while inspecting the proposed road connecting Sugandha Point through Kolatoli to the Marine Drive on Saturday. Cox’s Bazar-3 MP Lutfur Rahman Kajal and officials from relevant agencies were present.

The minister said the government has taken several initiatives to improve Cox’s Bazar’s tourism infrastructure and beauty. However, repeated writ petitions and court orders have stopped development work, causing delays and additional costs while depriving residents of expected benefits. The government plans to build a 2.8-kilometre road from Sugandha Point through Kolatoli to connect with Marine Drive. The road is expected to improve traffic movement, reduce pressure on the city and also serve as a protective embankment. The minister expressed frustration that legal proceedings have delayed the project.

He said “To develop Cox’s Bazar into a modern and beautiful tourist city, we must speed up development work. At the same time, environmental and tourism interests must also be considered. But if every development project is held up by writ petitions, it will be difficult to move Cox’s Bazar’s development forward.” He said any environmental or legal concerns should be resolved through coordination with the relevant authorities rather than halting development.

Local groups have also demanded that construction of the Sugandha-Kolatoli road resume quickly. The Greater Chattogram Development Struggle Committee has called for immediate action. The road project has faced legal challenges over environmental concerns. Local residents have expressed dissatisfaction with the role of the environmental group BELA and its lawyer Rizwana Hasan. These are local allegations and have not been independently established. The minister also inspected a waste-management and plastic-to-energy project at the Rohingya camps and received a briefing on waste collection, management and plastic processing.