Lobbying on the part of the prospective Chinese firms has intensified, of late, over the strong indication that Dhaka and Beijing might strike a framework deal next month on the construction of a deep seaport at Sonadia at an estimated cost of about $5.0 billion.
The deal under which China has offered 'preferential buyer's credit' is expected to be signed during the visit of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to that country.
Local influential quarters are reportedly lobbying on behalf of a number of Chinese companies interested to grab the job of constructing the deep-sea port at Sonadia, sources said adding that awarding of the Padma Bridge construction contract to a Chinese company has evoked fresh enthusiasm among Chinese companies about the deep seaport project.
"The issue of constructing the deep-sea port with Chinese loan is on the PM's agenda. There could be a positive development on the project if the PM finds the Chinese offer feasible," a senior government official told the FE.
However, according to another reliable source, the PM at a meeting held at her office last week gave consent to taking Chinese loan for construction of the deep seaport. Besides China, private companies or governments of some other countries, namely- India, Germany, Denmark, the Netherlands, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) have also expressed their willingness for building the port.
The four Chinese companies that have been trying to grab the contract for constructing the proposed deep seaport of Bangladesh are: China Merchants Holdings (International) Company Ltd, China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC), China Communications Construction Company Ltd (CCCC), and China CAMC Engineering Co Ltd (CCEC).
A number of interested Chinese and other foreign companies have already given their presentation on their respective proposals before a high powered committee, headed by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Sources said the China Harbour Engineering Company Ltd (CHEC) had given a presentation before the committee a year back. Now it is going to give yet another presentation before shipping minister Shahjahan Khan on June 02 next at the ministry's conference room.
A private operator at the Chittagong port is lobbying hard to help the CHEC grab the deal.
Sources said some powerful quarters are also lobbying in favour of other Chinese companies interested in the project.
The CCCC on March 16 last sought to know from the ministry of shipping (MoS) about the developments over its proposal on deep seaport that it had sent in 2012.
The MoS wing concerned responded to the CCCC's query being requested by one of its top officials and asked the company to send the proposal again through Chinese government or its embassy in Dhaka.
A knowledgeable source told the FE if the CCCC was awarded the contract for constructing the deep seaport through a process of fair bidding and evaluation, if required, it would form a consortium with companies from other countries to ensure quality of work and timely completion of the multi-billion dollar project.
According to a feasibility study report carried by the Pacific Consultants International (PCI) of Japan the seaport at the first stage will have five international standard jetties with the capacity to handle a total of 704.01 million tonnes of containers a year. The construction cost was then estimated at Tk 600 billion.
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