Fresh govt initiative to revive deep sea port project
Friday, 7 September 2007
Shakhawat Hossain
The caretaker government (CG) has taken a fresh initiative to revive the deep sea port (DSP) project after suspending it nearly two months ago, official sources said.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs is due to sit next Tuesday to review Sonadia as the site for the DSP in the Bay of Bengal as the Ministry of Shipping (MoS) sees it necessary for the country.
The same committee at a meeting in July last suspended the process of the site selection of the DPS at Sonadia, the sources said.
The MoS officials are upbeat about getting a positive decision by the cabinet committee this time as high functionaries of the CG are convinced about the prospect of the DSP to keep pace with global competition in trade and business.
"The proposed DSP has a potential to emerge as a booming business hub that can serve the interest of the region," said a senior MoS official.
The MoS officials said neighbouring India and Myanmar are undertaking feasibility studies on building DSP in their countries.
Such initiatives from the neighbours came after Bangladesh suspended its project on the DSP, they said.
Compared to its neighbours, Bangladesh was progressing well as it completed 50 per cent of techno-feasibility study on the project by a Japanese consultant.
The Pacific Consultants International that was appointed by the immediate past political government to carry out the study had submitted five reports.
It is due to place five more reports on conceptual design, project appraisal and project management model and others services after the site selection.
A technical committee under the MoS preferred a nine-square kilometre Sonadia island on the bay, about seven kilometres off Cox's Bazar, to other sites including that of Kutubdia channel.
The committee pointed out that land development cost would be lower in Sonadia than Kutubdia. It will be environment friendly with natural surroundings.
Other advantages of the Sonadia are the required water level of 14 metres within its three kilometers area and deposit of silt there is negligible.
Shipping adviser MA Matin said the mega project will cost Tk 420 billion and it will be implemented in three phases by 2055.
As per the project proposal, Chittagong Port Authority will bear 30 per cent of the total cost. The government intends to raise the rest of fund from the capital market.
The caretaker government (CG) has taken a fresh initiative to revive the deep sea port (DSP) project after suspending it nearly two months ago, official sources said.
The cabinet committee on economic affairs is due to sit next Tuesday to review Sonadia as the site for the DSP in the Bay of Bengal as the Ministry of Shipping (MoS) sees it necessary for the country.
The same committee at a meeting in July last suspended the process of the site selection of the DPS at Sonadia, the sources said.
The MoS officials are upbeat about getting a positive decision by the cabinet committee this time as high functionaries of the CG are convinced about the prospect of the DSP to keep pace with global competition in trade and business.
"The proposed DSP has a potential to emerge as a booming business hub that can serve the interest of the region," said a senior MoS official.
The MoS officials said neighbouring India and Myanmar are undertaking feasibility studies on building DSP in their countries.
Such initiatives from the neighbours came after Bangladesh suspended its project on the DSP, they said.
Compared to its neighbours, Bangladesh was progressing well as it completed 50 per cent of techno-feasibility study on the project by a Japanese consultant.
The Pacific Consultants International that was appointed by the immediate past political government to carry out the study had submitted five reports.
It is due to place five more reports on conceptual design, project appraisal and project management model and others services after the site selection.
A technical committee under the MoS preferred a nine-square kilometre Sonadia island on the bay, about seven kilometres off Cox's Bazar, to other sites including that of Kutubdia channel.
The committee pointed out that land development cost would be lower in Sonadia than Kutubdia. It will be environment friendly with natural surroundings.
Other advantages of the Sonadia are the required water level of 14 metres within its three kilometers area and deposit of silt there is negligible.
Shipping adviser MA Matin said the mega project will cost Tk 420 billion and it will be implemented in three phases by 2055.
As per the project proposal, Chittagong Port Authority will bear 30 per cent of the total cost. The government intends to raise the rest of fund from the capital market.