"During my time, CCC set up a good number of educational institutes giving education the topmost priority, and if elected, I would provide the poor and meritorious students with free educational and related materials to inspire them in acquiring knowledge", he said.

He was addressing two different rallies organised by local units of AL at Lalkhan Bazar Ispahani and Dewan Bazar Khalifa Patti area.

Mohiuddin Chowdhury is contesting the May 9 CCC election under the banner of Chattagram Nagorik Forum to retain the mayoral post for the third consecutive time.

Apart from the educational institutes, vocational training centres to conduct different foreign language courses, would also be set up, he said.

Addressing the rallies as chief guest, former minister and Chittagong city AL President MA Mannan said the concept of City Government and expansion of the city area are demands of the time to fulfil the needs of the city dwellers.

He termed Mohiuddin Chowdhury as the architect of modern Chittagong and called for reelecting him for implementation of those projects.

Meanwhile, the Bangladesh Nationalist Party ( BNP) nominated candidate Mir Mohammad Nasir Uddin at a public meeting at Patenga yesterday said if elected, he would turn CCC into a centre to provide services to the city dwellers and implement the Healthy City Project he took up during his tenure.

Addressing the rally as chief guest, Education Minister Dr Osman Farruk called for electing the alliance nominated mayoral candidate Mir Nasir for the development of the port city that badly needs to be upgraded as the commercial capital in true sense.

Mir Nasir at another meeting with the city professionals on Saturday night said he was ready to resign from the post of a minister as he never craved for power and wanted to work for the development of the city and serve the city dwellers.

He said the present CCC discarded the "vision and mission" he started working with for overall development of the city during his tenure till 1994.

Now, CCC appears to be a commercial centre good for only real estate

This trend has to be changed, Mir said, adding all the activities of CCC would aim at serving the city dwellers, if elected.

Chittagong University Vice-Chancellor (VC) AJM Nuruddin Chowdhury was the chief guest at the meeting organised by Chittagong City Gono Okya Parishad at Enesel Mansion.

Chittagong University Pro-VC Prof Dr Muhammad Shamsuddin chaired the meeting.