The Mongla Port Authority celebrated its 73rd anniversary on Friday.
To observe the anniversary, the port area was decorated with colourful lights, and all the anchored vessels blew their whistles at once at 12.01am on Friday. A special prayer was organised at the mosques in the Mongla port area, according to a press release.
In 1950, the British merchant vessel The City of Lions docked at Jaymonirgol on the Pashur River in the Sundarbans, signifying the birth of Mongla Port. Located in Bagerhat, this port is Bangladesh's second-largest and recently witnessed a surge in merchant ship arrivals, following a period of losses from 2001 to 2008.
The port faced a significant loss of Tk11 crore between 2004 and 2005. However, after the Awami League assumed power in 2009, Mongla Port experienced a revival through enhanced capacity building.
Speaking as a chief guest, Khulna City Corporation Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleque said: "After Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina came into power in 2009, her government focused on developing and modernising Mongla Port. As a result, the port is progressing well, with more foreign ships and cargo vehicles arriving each year. Our goal is to make Mongla a globally recognised, safe, and advanced seaport."
The Mongla Port Authority chairman cut a cake and announced the opening of the celebration. Later, a documentary on the port was also screened. Rear Admiral Mir Ershad Ali also inaugurated a voluntary blood donation program at Mongla Port Hospital to mark the 73rd founding anniversary.
Mongla Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Mir Ershad Ali said: “Thanks to our dredging work, Mongla Port achieved a milestone by receiving the Liberian ship MV Mana with 60,500 tons of coal, a first for the port. For the first time, we also had ships with an 8.5-metre draft at the jetty. In the 2022–23 period, the port saw 827 merchant ships, handled 99.05 lakh MT of cargo, including 26,583 TEUs of containers, imported 13,576 vehicles, and earned Tk30,241.68 crore. We are committed to making Mongla Port more dynamic and globally recognised.”
