CPA's 133 years of founding today

CHATTOGRAM, April 24: The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is observing 133 years of its formation today (April 25).
It has been managing cargo handling and other operational activities of Chittagong Port, prime seaport of the country and one of the oldest natural ports of this subcontinent.
However, CPA is not arranging any programme today in observation of its 133 years due to coronavirus outbreak across the country. The entity will arrange various programmes, including traditional 'mejban' etc, when the situation will become normal, said officials.
CPA Secretary Omar Faruk said, "We are not arranging any programme on Saturday due to the coronavirus outbreak. We will observe the day with colourful programmes like other years after the end of corona crisis."
"At present, there are around 50,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) of containers lying at the yards of Chittagong Port, which is more than 100 percent of its capacity. This is the highest number of containers at the port yards in the last 10 years, compared to its capacity."
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP visited the port on Thursday (April 23), and observed its operational activities.
The state minister also gave necessary directives to reduce the container congestion in a meeting with the CPA officials on the day, he added.
According to sources concerned, Chittagong Port is now in deep crisis, as a record number of containers are stockpiled at its yards due to slow delivery of imported goods amid nationwide general holiday, declared to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Importers' requests to CPA to take various steps to reduce the congestion, including ensuring quick delivery of containers and shifting additional containers from the yards to free space, went in vain, the sources also said.
Earlier, more than 5,000 trucks, covered vans and lorries used to enter the port for delivery and shipment of cargoes every day. But, the number has reduced to 800-1,000 per day since the outbreak, as drivers are not willing to ply vehicles in fear of virus infection.
However, the government has taken steps to shift containers from port yards to off-docks, they added.
Chittagong Port is situated in the estuary of the Karnaphuli River, which originates in the hills of north-east Chittagong Hill Tracts and flows into the Bay of Bengal.
The port provides deep-water anchorage a few miles inland from the sea. The steering distance is 16 km from outer bar on the Bay of Bengal to main berths on the Karnaphuli bank.
The location of Chittagong Port and its natural harbour made it an important regional hub since 9th century, when Arab merchants found it as a lucrative centre for trade and business.
By 15th century, the port became an important trading centre. Chinese chronicler Ma Huan, who visited Chittagong in 1405 with a Chinese mission, referred to 'Chit-le-Gan' as a port frequented by trading vessels. Arabs were the most frequent visitors to the port.
Among the Europeans, Portuguese were the first to arrive in Chittagong. They tried twice to capture Chittagong, first in 1517 under John de Silviera and again in 1527 under Alfonso-de-Millo.
Finally they secured it from Mahmud Shah, the ruler of Bengal, in return for helping him against Sher Shah Sur. Under the Portuguese, Chittagong prospered and became a vital commercial centre, acquiring the title 'Porto Grande' or the great port.
In 1665-66 Shaista Khan, the Mughal Viceroy of Bengal, advanced on the port and captured it.
With the birth of Bangladesh in 1971, Chittagong Port's trade activities started expanding in a large scale, and it gradually emerged as a modern port.
To cope with rapid development and expansion of the port, the government promulgated the Chittagong Port Authority Ordinance in 1986.

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