Recently, We Have Seen Transshipment with Indian eastern states through Chittagong and Mongla ports, And The Arrival Of large mother vessels at the under-construction Matarbari deep sea port. Is Bangladesh going to be a regional hub soon?
Geographically, Bangladesh will soon become a regional economic hub, there is no doubt about it. The transshipment agreement with India is the humanitarian approach of our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Apart from commercial purposes, this transshipment will open a new window of development for the eastern states of India. Now they will march towards development by using our Chittagong and Mongla ports. Some people may talk about the commercial reason behind this transshipment, but we have focused on humanitarian issues largely because we want regional friendship and believe in regional development.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury Dhaka TribuneOn Monday, a Panama-origin ship with a 13-metre draught and 228-metre length anchored at the Matarbari, creating a record as the biggest ship berthed at any port in the country ever. What's going on at Matarbari?
After Chittagong port, Matarbari will be the lifeline of the country's economy. At present, it takes around 45 days to send a consignment of goods from Bangladesh to the United States. Once the Matarbari deep sea port is opened, it will reach the designated destination directly in just 23 days. Bangladeshi consignments will no longer have to wait at the ports of Singapore, Colombo and Malaysia. Large mother vessels will directly come to Matarbari port instead of Singapore, Colombo and Malaysia. Our neighbouring countries will also be able to use Matarbari port. Matarbari will not only be a seaport, but it will also be an economic hub as a new city will be developed there. The whole Matarbari area will be the iconic town of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's Smart Bangladesh. Japan is already investing there, and Denmark, Turkey, Dubai and some other countries have expressed their interest to invest in the economic zones of Matarbari. We are taking preparations and hopefully, within the next fiscal year Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will lay the foundation of Matarbari deep sea port, and within 2026 it will be operational.
What about the progress of modernization at Chittagong port?
Right now, we have to depend on the tide for operations at Chittagong port, which is time-consuming and old-fashioned. This is why we are building a bay terminal at the port, including a 3,500-metre jetty with a multipurpose container terminal. This bay terminal will allow 24-hour shipment by creating a breakwater that will increase the capacity of Chittagong port. But we do not want to execute sudden automation as a lot of people are working there. We will modernize it gradually. Within 2026, the Bay terminal will be operational too.
What about Mongla Port and Payra Port?
When the inner and outer dredging of the Mongla Port will be completed, it will facilitate service in full swing like Chittagong port; the process is ongoing. Payra is the deepest seaport in Bangladesh. Its first terminal construction is going to be finished very soon. Payra Port is a development window for people in the southern region, with huge prospects.
What are the conditions of land ports in Bangladesh?
In 2001, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formed the Bangladesh Land Port Authority; then the BNP-Jamat government came to power, and the commencement of the ports was not very smooth. Now in the last 15 years, we have been developing every land port as a real land port with all modern facilities. Development work is going on in almost every land port of the country, including Benapole, Shalla, Burimari, Bholaganj, Tamabil, Akhaura, Teknaf, Banglabandha, Hili, Birol, Tegamukh, Gobra Koraitoli, Nalitabari, Ramgargh and Sonahat land ports. Recently, we restarted Sonamosjid port after a few years and a new port at Birol will be opened soon.
What about the drive against river grabbers that you started in 2019?
We started the drive in 2019, and now in 2023, the situations are not the same. By this time, we have faced the Covid-19 and Russia-Ukraine war, which has shown the whole world's economic system to be in imbalance in the last three years. But we did not move from that spirit. Surely, we will complete the construction of 10,000 kilometres of river routes, as the Awami League had committed to the plan. Already we have crossed 7,000km in the rainy season and 4,000km during the dry season. Due to economic reasons, our drives have slowed down but our commitment is still as firm as the previous time. We can firmly say that river grabbers will be evicted...there is no mercy.
When can we have smart ferry services and some other inland waterways services?
Previously, no one thought about developing the inland waterways and ferry ghat services but our government has taken up a bunch of initiatives. Already a project has been taken in Paturia ferry ghat worth Tk1,500 crore to reshape this ghat with all modern facilities. We want to introduce the idea that a ferry ghat is not only about crossing the rivers, but it could also be a tourism centre too. We have already changed Sadarghat into a neat and clean river port. People are now planning visits to Sadarghat's rooftop riverview restaurants for the scenic beauty. Hopefully, we will gradually develop 43 inland river ports also.
After the inauguration of the Padma Bridge, launches have been missing their regular passengers. Some of them are planning to shut down launch services. What is in their fate?
Once it took the whole night to reach Barguna, the southernmost district of Bangladesh through the waterway. But now it takes 5/6 hours to reach there because of the Padma Bridge. There are so many developed countries in the world with strong road connectivity but still rivers are playing huge roles there. Take the Mississippi River; it is treated as the lifeline of the US. Once people of the southern region had no option, they were bound to travel on almost every vessel for their necessities. But right now, people have options and they will choose standard transportation. Those who fail to upgrade their service standard will be lost in the competition. However, river tourism will develop day by day. After a certain time, people will lose their interest in passenger services but tourism will be boosted. International standard oceangoing cruise services are going to be launched for the first time in Bangladesh very soon. Now the people of Bangladesh will be able to start cruises from Dhaka or Chittagong to Singapore, Colombo, the Maldives and other countries.
