Mongla:Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is set to visit Mongla port tomorrow, marking his second visit to the country's second-largest seaport since taking office as head of the government.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Prime Minister will arrive at the port at 1000 am on November 5. His visit is expected to include the laying of the foundation stone for the construction of two new container jetties and associated facilities, a significant step in expanding and modernizing the port infrastructure.
The Mongla Port Authority (MPA) Chairman, Rear Admiral Arif Ahmed Mostafa, stated that construction work on the project would commence following the foundation stone laying ceremony. The project, which has a total estimated cost of Taka 4,068 crore, is being financed by both the Bangladesh government and China, with Taka 475 crore and Taka 3,593 crore contributions, respectively. The agreement for this project was signed during the Prime Minister’s recent visit to China on October 10.
The proposed container terminal is planned to have a jetty measuring 368 meters in length, along with a container yard and facilities for handling hazardous cargo. The new yard will be equipped with 49 pieces of equipment, capable of handling over 30 containers per hour, ultimately increasing the port's annual container handling capacity to 400,000 TEUs.
In addition to the foundation stone ceremony, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is anticipated to be signed at Jetty No. 9 between Invest Bangladesh Authority and the Chairman of China Railway Construction Corporation in the presence of the Prime Minister. State Minister for Environment, Forest and Climate Change Sheikh Faridul Islam highlighted that the agreement with China would enhance railway connectivity with Mongla Sea Port, facilitating the transportation of goods from inland container depots (ICDs) to the port for international shipment.
The Prime Minister's visit has reinvigorated optimism among local businesses and stakeholders, who view the frequency of his visits as unprecedented and promising for the region's economic development. Stakeholders have expressed the need for additional projects in port-related areas, including the construction of the proposed Foyla Airport and upgrading the Mongla-Khulna highway to six lanes.
Furthermore, they have called for solutions to navigability issues, particularly the dredging of the Pashur Channel, to improve import-export trade, foster environmentally friendly tourism focused on the Sundarbans, and ensure the security of fishermen and forest-dependent communities.
Following his engagements at Mongla Port, the Prime Minister will travel to Bagerhat to visit the shrine of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (R) and then proceed to Khulna for the inauguration of Notun Kuri Season-2 before returning to Dhaka.