Chattogram Port is now the main driving force of the country's economy with great activity. Every indicator of the port is now on the rise. Import and export goods have crossed records.
It was known that the port's financial growth has exceeded 37.60 percent. The turnaround time of ships at the port has come down from four days to one day. This capacity has come under the close supervision of Shipping Advisor Brigadier General (Retd.) M. Sakhawat Hossain, and the relentless efforts of the port's authority chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman.
According to the sources, compared to 2023, container handling has increased by 7.42 percent, and cargo handling by 3.11 percent. This is an increase in container and cargo handling at the port compared to last year. In the last 1 year, 3.25 million TEUs containers, 120 million metric tons of cargo and 3,857 ships have been handled. This has increased import and export.
Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association Chairman Syed Mohammad Arif believes that now 200-meter-long and 10-meter-deep ships can dock instead of 9.5-meter-deep ships. As a result, ships with 1,500 to 2,000 containers are docking instead of 1,000 containers.
The 2nd revised DPP of the Matarbari Port Development Project with the assistance of JICA as a fast track project was approved in the ECNEC meeting on October 7, 2014. The cargo handling equipment purchase agreement has already been done. The civil activity agreement will be done very soon and construction activities will start very soon. The bay terminal project is becoming visible. This will open up new horizons and increase exports and speed up operations with modern, cost-effective terminal facilities. About 10,000 containers are lying for auction in the yard of Chattogram Port.
297 old cars were put for auction in the car shed. The Customs Authority has been directed to remove the auctionable cars in the car shed at the earliest so that the progress index of Chattogram Port can move forward further. Out of 152 TEUs containers that were destructible at the port in the last two months, 59 TEUs containers of goods were destroyed. Out of 10176 TEUs containers that were destructible, 37 TEUs containers out of 1272 TEUs containers inventoried by the Customs have been handed over to the auction recipients.
The Chattogram Port Authority has procured 49 equipments for the yard and terminal at the port with its own funds. 12 equipments have arrived at the port, LCs have been opened for 19 equipments and LCs for 1 equipment are under process. In addition, a heavy lift cargo jetty construction project is currently underway in Laldia (North) area for heavy cargo handling at the port. Capital dredging 'Removal of waste from Sadarghat of Karnaphuli River to Bakliar Char' and navigability enhancement through dredging project, 47 lakh cubic meters of capital dredging has already been completed. Currently, conservation dredging work is underway and about 8.5 lakh cubic meters of conservation dredging has been completed. The project will be completed in June this year.
About 92 percent of Bangladesh's total imports are general goods and about 98 percent of containers are transported through this port, which is known as the driving force of the country's economy.
Rear Admiral SM Muniruzzaman has taken charge as the chairman for about 6 months. Among these, maintaining the reputation of Chattogram Port and increasing its growth despite various adversities was a real challenge for him. At the same time, he has been able to create a business environment by preventing irregularities and corruption and creating the trust of local and foreign businessmen.
Chattogram Port Director (Transport) Enamul Karim said that Chattogram Port is moving forward due to the overall cooperation and sincerity of everyone.
The Port Authority Secretary Md. Omar Faruk said that Chattogram Port is also ahead in cargo handling.
Port Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said that the instability of the global economy and high inflation caused by Corona, the Russia-Ukraine war and the subsequent Middle East crisis have also affected the country's economy. Despite these adverse conditions, the Chattogram Port Authority has maintained the continuity of cargo and container handling through its expertise and experience. In the last four months since taking charge, we have started extensive activities to further accelerate the operational activities of the port.
He further said that the issue of private partnership in port management in Bangladesh has been a long-cherished dream and challenge. The authorities have met that challenge with great skill and have involved Saudi Arabia-based private organization Global Terminal Operator RSGTI in the operation and management of Patenga Container Terminal. We have undertaken the construction of Laldia Container Terminal on the basis of public-private partnership with the world's leading terminal operator APM.
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