Mongla port to be upgraded to international standard
Country's second largest seaport Mongla will be upgraded to international standard soon.
The government took the initiative aiming at boosting country's economic growth, particularly in south-western region.
A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has already been signed between the port authorities and David Wignal Associate, a Singapore-based private company, in this connection.
Sources said Tk 21,000 crore would be spent for the upgradation work.
Mongla port authority chairman Commodore M Faruk told the new agency that the Singaporean private company is now carrying out feasibility study on how to carry out the development work properly.
The project includes construction of international standard jetty, a power generation plant and a water treatment plant, industrial park, container terminal, establishing cable car with Sundarbans, channel preservation, ensuring navigability through dredging, port expansion and ensuring utilisation of port through transit trade with India, China, Nepal ad Bhutan.
As per agreement, all development work are scheduled to be completed by 2030.
Once vibrant, the activities of the Mongla port at present slowed down due to illegal activities of Mafia at home and abroad, labour unrest, corruption by a section of port officials and employees and above all indifferent attitude shown by the previous governments.
The present government took various measures for making the sluggish port into dynamic, officials said.
The port was at first established at Chalna in 1950 and later shifted to Mongla, 50km off the district town, on the bank of Passur River after four years.
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