Rangpur, Mymensingh, Barishal development authorities cleared; ordinances approved

The government is setting up development authorities for Rangpur, Mymensingh, and Barishal to drive planned urbanisation. The Advisory Council on Thursday approved the relevant ordinances at a meeting chaired by Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus at his Tejgaon office. Briefing reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, his Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam said separate ordinances would be issued to establish authorities centred on the three divisional cities. “After these authorities are formed, a number of development functions will shift from local administrations to the development authorities, similar to how RAJUK (Capital Development Authority) exercises powers over building plans, land-use reclassification and other approvals in Dhaka’s two city areas,” he said. Bangladesh already has development authorities in Chattogram, Khulna, Gazipur and Sylhet. During...