More than a decade after the declaration of the port, the construction work of an inland modern port has begun in Ashuganj on the banks of the Meghna in Brahmanbaria.
Once the construction work of this international standard port is completed, at least one million metric tons of goods will be handled in this port annually. In addition, the importance of this port will also increase in the international field.
According to traders and port authorities, in 2010, Ashuganj Cargo Ghat next to the old ferry ghat on the banks of the Meghna was declared a port of call from the port of call. Basically, fertilizer, rod, cement, coal and food grains like pulses, corn and paddy-rice are loaded and unloaded at this port. Due to the lack of a modern jetty, thousands of metric tons of goods have been loaded and unloaded through two dilapidated temporary jetties for years. In 2011, India used this seaport for the first time to transport heavy electrical goods brought from Kolkata's Haldia port. Later, these heavy goods were transported by road from Ashuganj in 22-wheeled big bikes to the Akhaura land port. Later, from there, these goods were transported by heavy vehicles to the Palatana power plant in Agartala, the capital of Tripura, northeastern India. Later, India used this port several times to transport food items and steel products.
Port traders said, "As there is no covered storage, truck yard, side road in the port area, valuable imported and exported goods are being spoiled by the sun and rain. In this situation, local traders have been demanding modernization of the port for a long time. Local traders are happy that the initiative to modernize the Ashuganj seaport has been taken, albeit belatedly.
They said, "If this river port is established, the businessmen of the large Mymensingh and Sylhet divisions in the eastern region and the surrounding 12 districts will benefit from it. The suffering in the export of domestic goods will also be reduced to a large extent."
Zakir, a businessman of Ashuganj Port, said, "If this port has a modern jetty, the speed of business will increase a lot. Goods from different countries will come and go, which will increase employment for the people of this area. That is why we are supporting them."
Shahjahan Siraj, another businessman, said, "If this river port is built, not only the people of this area will benefit, but we, the businessmen, will also benefit. Due to the dilapidated port, the roads here were not that good. Now if a modern port is built here, the roads will also be improved. Businessmen will also show interest in buying goods from this port. We hope that the construction of this port will be completed soon."
Ashuganj Port Project Director Ayub Ali said, "3 new jetties will be constructed in this port under construction. In addition, storage, open storage, welfare office, canteen, gate and employment office, sub-station, pump house and aproz gate will be constructed as infrastructure. This will increase the importance of Ashuganj Port in terms of internal goods loading and unloading. There will also be a system to store and load and unload 150,000 tons of goods per year.
On the other hand, BIWTA Chairman Commodore Arif Ahmed Mustafa said, this port is a very old port. When the facilities at this port increase, its importance will increase in the domestic as well as international sectors. Then everyone will try to take advantage of this port.
According to the port authority, the initial work of constructing the port began in 2023 at a cost of Tk 210 crore on more than 5 acres of land financed by the World Bank. The construction of the seaport is scheduled to be completed in June 2026.
ZH
