Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus on Friday urged the countrymen to continue their strong support for the interim government's port management initiative.
"I urge the countrymen not to allow themselves to become victims of baseless opposition and propaganda. Continue your strong support for the interim government's port management move. Resist those who oppose it," he said while delivering his televised address to the nation on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha.
After Bangladesh became independent in 1971, Yunus said, the country could not achieve the level of economic progress it was meant to and has not reached the position where it should stand tall before the world.
"We want Bangladesh to be established as the economic centre of South Asia. To this end, we have taken initiatives to increase the capacity of the ports, in addition to enhancing investment services," he said.
If this is not possible, he warned, the unemployment problem facing millions of people in the country will not be resolved, and the economic crisis will persist.
Addressing public concerns, he said many people have expressed curiosity about Chittagong port, and at times, rumours have circulated that the port is being handed over to foreigners.
"I said before that Chittagong port is the heart of Bangladesh's economy. Currently, this heart is very weak. If we leave it in its current state, it will not be possible to move our economy forward. This heart must be enlarged, strengthened, and streamlined," he said.
To achieve that, Yunus explained, many initiatives need to be taken and the expertize of professionals will be essential.
The interim government is reaching out to the best and most experienced port management operators in the world.
He said these firms are operating ports across Europe, Canada, Australia, China, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Turkey, the Middle East, and Africa.
"Their job is to manage ports, while our goal is to learn port management from them as quickly as possible. I can guarantee that if we acquire port management skills by 2031, within the next five years—that is, by 2036—many of the ports currently run by these companies will be managed by Bangladeshis," he added.
The chief adviser said that wherever one goes to a port in the future, they will find Bangladeshis working there. Many people will gain employment, as the port operators will hire Bangladeshis to meet their own staffing needs, he said.
"If we can once learn the workings of port management, in the future we will see people from Chittagong, Noakhali, Sylhet, and Barisal at ports around the world—people from Bangladesh," he said.
Yunus added that modernizing Bangladeshi ports will not only boost the country's economy but also positively impact the economies of neighbouring countries, including Nepal and Bhutan.
He said that the ports will be the cornerstone of economic prosperity for the entire region.
He observed that the entire coastal stretch from Kumira to Teknaf will become a major economic hub in South Asia with the development of port activities.
Numerous industrial zones will emerge in this region due to its proximity to the sea and improved efficiency.
A new industry will also grow, he said, involving fish farming, harvesting, and processing in the sea using modern techniques—ushering in an entirely new sector.
He assured that the sovereignty and national security of no country in the world has ever been compromised where professional port operators are involved in managing ports.
