Chittagong port to be made most modern: Khalid

CHATTOGRAM, Sept 04: Chittagong Port is the lifeline of the economy of Bangladesh, said State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury. He said the government is further developing the country's prime sea port with the aim to make one of the top 50 ports in the world in future.
He was speaking at the first meeting of the newly-expanded Advisory Committee of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) at the hall room of the CPA building here on Wednesday.
Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud and CPA Chairman Rear Admiral Zulfikar Aziz were also present, among others.
Khalid Mahmud presided over meeting. He said the government was modernising the Chittagong Port which has moved six notches up to become the 64th busiest container-handling port among the 100 top ports in the world.
"We want to take the position of the Chittagong Port further up in the globe and I hope we can ensure that it will be among the world's 50 top ports in future," he said.
Mentioning that the Chittagong Port is playing 'the most important role' in running the wheel of the country's economy, the state minietsr said the government will make it one of the most modern ports in the world.
Addressing the meeting, Hasan Mahmud underscored the need for expediting the development work of the port.
"We have to develop the Chittagong Port immediately for the development of country's economy. We should remember that development of Chittagong Port never means the development of Chattogram, but also development of Bangladesh. The development of the region depends on development of Chittagong sea port," he said.
Rear Admiral Zulfikar Aziz delivered the welcome speech.
He said the number of containers is growing fast at the port. Handling and managing the growing number of containers is becoming a big challenge, he pointed out.
He said multiple plans, including short term, mid-term and long term ones, have been taken up for making the port most modern one to meet the challenges of the future.
Whip of Jatiya Sangsad (Parliament) Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, Mayor of Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) A J M Nasir Uddin, Mostafizur Rahman, MP, Nazrul Islam Chowdhury, MP, Ayesha Wasika Khan, MP, Commissioner of Chattogram Customs House Md Fakhrul Alam, Chairman of Chattogram Development Authority (CDA) Jahirul Alam Dovash, President of Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) Mahabubul Alam, Vice Presiudent Tarafdar Ruhul Amin, Bangladesh Freight Forwarders' Association Director Khairul Alam Sujan, Acting President of Chattogram City Awami League Mahatab Uddin Chowdhury, President of Chattogram South District Awami League Moslem Uddin Ahamod, General Secretary of Chattogram North District Awami League and Chairman of Chattogram Zila Parishad M A Salam, Commander of Bangladesh Muktijoddha Sangsad Mojaffar Ahamod, BGMEA leader Nasir Uddin Chowdhury, President of C & F Agents' Association A K M Ajter Hossain, Director of BKMEA Swakat Osman, leaders of Shippers Council Amoyo Sankar Bormon and Nurul Haque and President of Bangladesh Reconditioned Vehicles Importers and Distributers Association Abdul Haque were also present at the meeting and spoke.
The CPA expanded its advisory body by inducting half a dozen new members in it on August 3.
With induction of the six new members, the committee now comprises 60 members. The advisory body was first formed in 2010 with 54 members following strong demands by the port users.
The first meeting of the committee was held on October 10 that year while last one was held on December 10 in 2017.
Wednesday's meeting was the first of the enlarged advisory body while it was the 13th meeting after its formation in 2010.
During the formation of the advisory body it was decided that the committee would hold meeting in every three months. But the committee did not sit regularly in last several years.

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