Swiss firm starts operating Pangaon terminal

The Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT) in West Keraniganj of Dhaka formally resumed operations yesterday under the management of Medlog Bangladesh Private Limited, a concern of the Switzerland-based logistics giant Medlog.

The resumption of operations under a globally reputed company has raised hopes that the long loss-making terminal will turn profitable.

The Pangaon terminal was constructed jointly by the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) in 2013, with the aim of reducing cargo pressure on highways.

Before the Medlog handover, the CPA managed the terminal’s operations. However, high freight rates, lengthy clearance times, and a lack of other logistics support had left most of the terminal’s capacity unused.

The facility, built at a cost of around Tk 155 crore, incurred losses for nearly a decade, prompting the government to decide to hand over its operations to an efficient private management.

On November 17, the CPA signed an agreement with Medlog Bangladesh for the management and operation of the Pangaon ICT for 22 years.

Inaugurating the terminal’s resumed operations, Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (Retd) M Sakhawat Hussain hoped that upgrading the terminal to international standards would increase container movement on inland waterways and further strengthen multimodal transport connectivity.

He urged Medlog to come forward with investments and expand operations at other inland river ports and container terminals across the country.

ATM Anisul Millat, managing director of Medlog Bangladesh, outlined the firm’s vision, modernisation plans, and operational roadmap for the terminal under its management.