Panama Sonamasjid Port Link Ltd, the administrator of Sonamasjid land port, is introducing renewable solar energy, a cold storage freezer, and a rainwater harvest reservoir to bolster port operations.
It is the second-largest land port in the country under the Bangladesh Land Port Authority, located in Shibganj Upazila of Chapainawabganj.
The Mahdipur check-post in Malda district of India is located at the other end of this port.
Every day, 300/350 trucks of different types of goods are imported and 100/150 trucks of goods are exported through this port, according to a press release.
Furthermore, 400–500 Bangladeshi trucks transport goods to the port every day, employing approximately 5000 people.
An uninterrupted power supply is essential for administrative and port security, including handling goods and storing goods in the warehouse.
It is difficult to maintain the proper capacity of the port without an uninterrupted power supply.
With the increase in imports and exports and line with government policy, the Sonamasjid Port Link authority has come forward with the addition of renewable solar energy.
Necessary infrastructure, including the installation of solar panels, has already been constructed.
Solar panels are playing an important role in facilitating the storage of goods at the port for newly constructed cold storage and in introducing port automation.
Therefore, the port has gained more capacity in cargo handling, port management, cargo storage, and cargo handling.
At present, the port is providing high-quality services to importers and exporters as well as other port users.
The management of the port requires a lot of water for the workers and use in the port.
For this reason, if the groundwater level is raised more, there is a possibility of an environmental disaster.
With this in mind, an underground reservoir has been constructed at Sonamasjid land port to retain rainwater in the interest of environmentally friendly port management.
As a result, the port environment has improved along with the alternative system of water demand for the workers in the port.
Sonamasjid Port Link has played a pioneering role in the first renewable solar power generation among the privately managed land ports, the release added.