The Netherlands government has expressed interest in the development of Paira and Chittagong ports.
Ministry of Shipping officials report that a Danish-Dutch consortium has been formed to seek to help fund and construct the proposed Paira deep seaport in Patuakhali district. This is just one of over 10 expressions of interest, including from companies in China and the UAE,
It is welcome to see international expertise and funding on offer to support plans to develop our port sector.
A seven-member committee of the Paira Port Authority has reportedly short-listed four companies and forwarded them for selection, but as yet no firm decision has been made.
It is vital that the government and Board of Investment priotitise consideration and decision-making on this matter, to aid progress on building a deep-sea port.
Bangladesh sorely needs new deep-sea port facilities to develop the economy. Increasing the capacity and efficiency of our ports is essential to meet the growing needs of our own exporters.
Building a new deep-sea port is also imperative to sustain competitiveness. The huge potential from improving regional connectivity and taking forward initiatives such as BIMSTEC and the BCIM corridor can only be realised if we invest in improving and increasing our port facilities.
While it is right for the government to give due consideration to the various alternative locations and offers which have been discussed over the years, Bangladesh needs to speed progress in implementing these plans.
A deep-sea port is a huge and critical investment for Bangladesh. It must be based on commercial considerations of where this infrastructure will be most profitable for Bangladesh.
The wide interest being expressed in helping develop port facilities is a reflection of confidence in the future growth of our economy and in the huge benefits offered by our key location between the growing markets of South and Southeast Asia. The government should build on this interest to press ahead more quickly in building new port facilities.
