Chattogram, Bangladesh: The Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) has cancelled all agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) related to the proposed Tk25,000 crore monorail project after discovering that the deal had been signed with an alleged fake representative of an Egyptian consortium.
The decision was made through an official order signed by CCC Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain on Wednesday following verification from the Egyptian Embassy in Dhaka.
According to CCC sources, the embassy informed Bangladesh’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) on 22 June that Kawsar Alam Chowdhury, who claimed to represent the Arab Contractors Orascom Peninsula Consortium, was not an authorized representative of the company.
After reviewing the embassy’s communication and confirming its authenticity, CCC concluded that there was no legal basis to continue the agreements signed with Chowdhury. As a result, all previous MoUs and contracts were declared void with immediate effect.
Copies of the cancellation order have been sent to BIDA, the Local Government Division, the Africa Wing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and CCC’s chief engineer and legal officer for necessary action.
The initial MoU for the monorail feasibility study was signed on 1 June last year, followed by a final agreement on 24 June to move the project forward. The mega project had sparked significant discussion due to its estimated cost and its potential to ease Chattogram’s worsening traffic congestion.
Following the agreement, CCC had sent a demi-official letter to BIDA seeking approval and support, prompting further communication with the Ministry of Road Transport and Bridges, the Local Government Division, and the Power Division.
However, with the legitimacy of the representative now disproven, the entire process has collapsed.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka Transport Coordination Authority (DTCA) is preparing a comprehensive transport master plan for Chattogram under a joint project funded by the government and South Korea’s KOICA,
worth Tk70.63 crore. The study, scheduled to continue until December 2026, will determine whether the city’s future mass transit system should be a metro rail, light rail transit (LRT), or monorail based on passenger demand.
Mayor Shahadat Hossain has consistently advocated for a relatively low-cost monorail system and had hoped to complete the feasibility study by December this year, aiming to begin construction next year.
