Techno-feasibility study on deep seaport resumes
Shakhawat Hossain | Monday, 28 July 2008
The study on the proposed deep seaport in the Bay of Bengal has resumed after a gap of nearly one year.
"The techno-feasibility study on the proposed deep seaport has started again last month," said a senior ministry official.
The study remained suspended for the last one year since the caretaker government could not decide whether to continue it or not.
The government, however, decided in favour and asked the ministry concerned to resume the study, said the official.
"The country's potentials for becoming a booming business hub will remain illusive without the establishment of a giant seaport," he said.
The official said strategic location of the country is suitable to serve the whole region.
A report published in an Indian financial daily said Bangladesh, which is located almost at the centre of South-East Asia, with the implementation of the proposed deep seaport could act as a regional business hub for transporting goods to the north-eastern states of India.
The project has been so far considered economically viable for Bangladesh with no negative repercussions on India in terms of trade, said the report.
Apart from improving movement of transshipment cargo in the North-Eastern part of India, the proposed deep-sea port could also prove useful to other neighbouring nations like Myanmar, southern China, and landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan.
The shipping ministry officials said the Japanese firm-Pacific Consultant International (PCI) - will complete the study by next one year.
The PCI that had made recommendation on suitable sites for the proposed giant port during its first-year study will submit reports on conceptual design of the port, project appraisal and management model and services.
A technical committee under the shipping ministry has already referred Sonadia Island in Cox's bazar as the most suitable site.
The island having an area of nine-square km is seven km off the country's sea resort town of Cox's Bazaar.
Assuming that the sea-borne container traffic will increase rapidly in Bangladesh and will exceed the existing capacity of the Chittagong port, the shipping ministry took the initiative for setting up the deep sea port.
As per provisional estimate, the mega project to be constructed in three phases will cost the country around Tk 420 billion.
"The techno-feasibility study on the proposed deep seaport has started again last month," said a senior ministry official.
The study remained suspended for the last one year since the caretaker government could not decide whether to continue it or not.
The government, however, decided in favour and asked the ministry concerned to resume the study, said the official.
"The country's potentials for becoming a booming business hub will remain illusive without the establishment of a giant seaport," he said.
The official said strategic location of the country is suitable to serve the whole region.
A report published in an Indian financial daily said Bangladesh, which is located almost at the centre of South-East Asia, with the implementation of the proposed deep seaport could act as a regional business hub for transporting goods to the north-eastern states of India.
The project has been so far considered economically viable for Bangladesh with no negative repercussions on India in terms of trade, said the report.
Apart from improving movement of transshipment cargo in the North-Eastern part of India, the proposed deep-sea port could also prove useful to other neighbouring nations like Myanmar, southern China, and landlocked countries like Nepal and Bhutan.
The shipping ministry officials said the Japanese firm-Pacific Consultant International (PCI) - will complete the study by next one year.
The PCI that had made recommendation on suitable sites for the proposed giant port during its first-year study will submit reports on conceptual design of the port, project appraisal and management model and services.
A technical committee under the shipping ministry has already referred Sonadia Island in Cox's bazar as the most suitable site.
The island having an area of nine-square km is seven km off the country's sea resort town of Cox's Bazaar.
Assuming that the sea-borne container traffic will increase rapidly in Bangladesh and will exceed the existing capacity of the Chittagong port, the shipping ministry took the initiative for setting up the deep sea port.
As per provisional estimate, the mega project to be constructed in three phases will cost the country around Tk 420 billion.