Seaport in between Barguna-Patuakhali planned: PM

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CHITTAGONG, Feb 26 (Agencies): Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said today her government has a plan to construct a seaport in between Barguna and Patuakhali to handle the growing external trade. The Prime Minister said this while laying the foundation stone of Sheikh Mujib Maritime University under the "Enhancing Marine Academy into Maritime University" project at a cost of Tk 2.6 billion (260 crore) on the Marine Academy premises here. She also said Bangladesh has submitted its claim formally over the extended continental shelf in the Bay of Bengal with UN today. Hasina said the importance of the waterways is increasing day by day as 90 per cent of export-import business takes place through ships. Transports through sea and river ways require a huge number of skilled marines in Bangladesh and elsewhere in the world, Hasina said. The maritime university which will be established as a regional university in South Asia will start its academic activities in 2013. It is aimed at meeting the growing demand of skilled marine manpower at home and abroad. Sheikh Hasina said her government has taken steps to set up six more marine academies in Barisal, Khulna, Pabna, Rangpur, Narayanganj and Sylhet at a cost of nearly Tk 8.0 billion. She said the government is also procuring full-mission deck bridge simulator and full-mission engine control simulator for the Marine Academy at a cost of about Tk 800 million under another programme. Hasina said the university will provide Master's, M Phil and PhD degrees on Ship Building Engineering, Shipping Management, International and National Maritime Transportation and Maritime Laws. She said her government has so far raised the number of trainee cadets in the academy to 200 from 100 and has a plan to further raise the number to 500. She said with satisfaction that the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) has already included Bangladesh with the Philippines, China and India as the rapidly growing and skilled marine manpower supplying country. Meanwhile, at another function, Sheikh Hasina asked Bangladesh marines to work with honesty, discipline and dedication to uphold the nation's dignity and fame in the international arena.