Padma Bridge boosts Mongla Port activity

KHULNA, Aug 22 (BSS): Mongla Port, country's second largest sea port, saw huge activities during the last two months, after the inauguration of the Padma Bridge.
Huge machinery, equipment, raw materials of some mega projects including Ruppur Nuclear Power Plant, Rampal Power Plant, metro rail, Bangabandhu and Khanjahan Ali railway bridges and huge imported cars had been unloaded through the port during last 50 days, an official of the port authority told the news agency.
Huge readymade garment items, shrimp, vegetables, fruits and other items were exported during last two months through this port, the official said.
Md Makruzza-man, Secretary to the Mongla Port Authority (MPA), said that Mongla Port had turned into an international standard port after huge modernisation work.
A total of 896 foreign ships anchored at the port jetty in 2021-22 fiscal year (FY).
"A total of 60 per cent imported cars came through this port during last two months, capability of cargo handling has been increased several times compared to previous months and the businessmen have been showing their keen interest to use this port as distance between Dhaka to Mongla now stands only 170 kilometers while Dhaka to Chittagong stands at 260 kilometers," he said.
Huge development activities including dredging are going on and 9.5 to 10 meter wide ship is capable to anchor at the Mongla Port jetty, he said adding that a vested quarter is now trying to stop the dredging activities at Mongla Port inner channel in a bid to obstruct development activities of the government.
He, however, said foreign ships between 9.5 metres to 10.0 metres wide are now capable to anchor at the Harbaria, entry point of the Mongla Port jetty near the Bay of Bengal, also known as outer bar, after completion of dredging.
But, the MPA are now facing trouble to complete 23.4 kilometres inner bar dredging from Harbaria dredging area to port jetty as a vested quarter has obstructed to keep sands at the river side during the Pashur River dredging.
When contacted, Chairman of the Mongla Port Authority Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa told BSS that the government has taken many initiatives to enhance the ability of the Mongla Sea Port.