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Five dormitories to be set up for working women

Nur Uddin Alamgir
Chittagong Development Authority (CDA) will construct five six-storied female dormitories with a view to addressing the accommodation crisis of workingwomen in the port city.
A 20-storey commercial tower will also be constructed on 119 kan th as of land in the city's Saltgola area alongside the Air Port Road.
The ministry of housing and public works had approved a project estimated at Tk 92 crore last month in this regard. However, final approval to the project cost may be given at a meeting scheduled to be held at the ministry on November 11.
Of the cost, Tk 70 crore will be spent for construction of the dormitories and commercial tower while Tk 22 crore would be for other expenditures, sources said.
The process for appointing
consultant for the project is going on to complete the work within shortest possible time, said an engineer involved in preparing the Development Project Plan (DPP) for the project.
Immediately after the approval CDA will start the project implementation process such as floating tenders, design and pre-qualification inspection.
The construction work is likely to start by February or March next year, said an engineerpreferringanonymity.
Sources at the CDA said the dormitories will house 269 rooms for 1,076 women employees from different organisations.
Each of the 176 square-foot rooms will offer accommodation to four persons with a common dining and bathrooms in every floor.
Though the existing accommodation crisis of garment workers prompted CDA to take
the initiative for dormitories and commercial tower, criteria for giving allotment of the rooms and floors to the aspirant organisations are yet to be finalised.
However, Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers' and Exporters' Association (BGMEA) is expected to get priority in this regard, they said.
BGMEA First Vice President MA Salam welcomed the CDA move for setting up the dormitories, saying it is a long-felt demand of women workers.
"It is a praiseworthy move by the CDA and we want its immediate implementation for mitigating the accommodation crisis,” Salam said.
"These dormitories are not enough to solve the demand for accommodation. But, it would encourage other organisations to come forward in this regard,” he said, assuring all kind of cooperation including financial help, if required, from their side (BGMEA).
CDA Chairman Shah Muhammad Akhteruddin said, "Actually the project might be considered as an effort by CDA as philanthropic work.”
He said around one lakh women are working in different factories inside Chittagong Export Processing Zone (CEPZ). They suffer seriously from accommodation crisis, he added.
"Their safety and security are hardly taken care of, which is a common phenomenon in the male-dominated society featured by gender discrimination, said Akhter while talking to The Daily Star on Sunday evening.
CDA took the initiative for the project responding to an appeal by BGM EA in this regard, he said, adding that alongside offering hygienic accommodation the dormitories near their workplace will also help the female workers of CEPZ to save transportationcost.