With this the CPA formally handed over 16.8969 acres of land, including 3.1919 acre for mosque, graveyard, roads and drains, to 51 families affected by the acquisition of land for the terminal.

The CPA acquired 13.645 acres of land from local people for the construction of the NCT over a total area of 14.275 acres.

Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury, MP in charge of Chittagong district, handed over the allotment letters to the affected families at a function held at the Chittagong Port Training Institute yesterday morning with CPA Chairman AMM Shahadat Hossain in the chair.

Amir Khosru thanked the owners of the acquired land for their sacrifice and appreciated the CPA for quick implementation of the measures for compensation and rehabilitation of the affected people.

CPA Chief Engineer Dr Safayet Hossain Khan and Bandar (Chittagong Port) Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal General Secretary Sheikh Nurullah Bahar spoke at the programme.

The port authority has given Tk 39,21,21,000 in damages for infrastructure and movable properties and Tk 7,30,14,000 in dislodgement benefit, sources said.

It developed the allocated land at a cost of Tk 3.5 crore while it will bear other expenses for further infrastructure development and utility services, said a CPA press release.

The CPA started implementing the Tk 737 crore project, involving Tk 435 crore for infrastructure development, on February 14, 2004. The budget for infrastructure development, however, was earlier fixed at Tk 311 crore, which was later raised due to the price hike of rods.

Around seven months are left for completion of the 30-month project with over 50 percent of work yet to be completed, sources said.