Mongla:Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's upcoming visit to Mongla Port, Dacope upazila, and the Sundarbans on October 22 has raised hopes among local business leaders and industrialists for addressing longstanding issues and boosting industrial development in the southwestern region.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, during his visit, the Prime Minister is expected to inspect the operations at the port jetty and the economic zone adjacent to the port. He is also scheduled to visit various locations in the Sundarbans and areas along the port channel by helicopter.
This will mark Prime Minister Rahman's first visit to Mongla Port, Dacope, and the Sundarbans since the BNP formed the government under his leadership after a 17-year gap. The visit has prompted local entrepreneurs and traders to anticipate renewed governmental focus on the port and its surrounding industrial areas.
State Minister for the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Sheikh Faridul Islam, indicated that the government would seek to attract Chinese investment, construct a bridge over the Mongla River, and upgrade the Mongla-Khulna road to six lanes. These initiatives aim to utilize transit facilities to transform Mongla Port into a key economic and logistics hub for the southwestern region.
The visit has generated optimism among local businesspeople, who hope for concrete measures to address infrastructure and operational challenges. Mosharraf Hossain, president of the Mongla C&F Association, emphasized the need for uninterrupted gas and electricity supplies to the Mongla Export Processing Zone (EPZ) and surrounding industrial areas to reduce production costs and maintain competitiveness in global markets.
Moreover, Captain Rafiqul Islam, chairman of the Mongla Shipping Agents Association, highlighted the declining number of vessels at the port's jetty and called for a permanent solution to dredging the port channel and the construction of an airport in Rampal. He also urged the government to eliminate irregularities in import and export operations.
In addition to business expectations, enthusiasm is high among BNP leaders and activists. Abdul Mannan Howlader, president of Mongla upazila BNP, noted that the Prime Minister's visit is part of ongoing efforts to develop Mongla Port. Local BNP units have organized processions and rallies to celebrate the occasion.
The government has implemented a four-tier security arrangement ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's visit on October 22.