The government has granted approval to Ananda Group to establish a container port on the bank of the Meghna river in Naraynaganj district, sources said.
It will be the country's fifth inland container terminal (ICT) in private sector. Earlier, the Rupayan Group, Kumudini Welfare Trust, AK Khan and Company, and the Cemcor were given approval for establishing ICTs in private sector.
Officials at the ministry of shipping (MoS) said the Ananda group sought permission to establish the ICT namely, 'Ananda Container Port Ltd' at Meghna Ghat in Narayanganj with a start-up capacity to handle 250,000 TEUs (twenty feet equivalent units) per year from 2016.
The port authority plans to raise the handling capacity to 600,000 TEU's per year by the end of 2021.
The Shipwrights Resources Limited (SRL) has been assigned to formulate master plan, detailed design engineering, site technical study and assessment, prepare business plan, conduct market feasibility study and financial modelling for the port.
Sources said the MoS is preparing a guideline for establishing ICT in the country under private sector investment. The finalisation of draft of a private sector ICT guideline is now underway.
Officials said when the MoS sought opinion the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) set some conditions before giving approval to Ananda Group for establishing the ICT.
It said the Ananda Group has to carry out necessary dredging at its own cost to ensure adequate navigability in the channel for smooth plying of container-laden vessels. The port authority should not fill up low lands or government owned khas lands while establishing the ICT. The port should be established on Ananda Group's own land.
MoS officials said carrying goods through waterways is comparatively cheap than carrying those through highways. Besides, increased traffic in Dhaka-Chittagong highway consumes huge time. So, the businessmen are more interested to use river routes for carrying goods.
A senior MoS official said Prime Minister Shiekh Hasina launched operation of Pangaon Inland Container Terminal in Keraniganj early this month. Another ICT namely, Khanpur ICT is under construction.
He said carrying goods through river routes will get momentum once the ICTs start operation.
Ananda Group chairman Dr Abdullahel Bari told the FE Wednesday that his company wants to offer a modern ICT to the nation facilitating business activities.
"We are hopeful to commission the ICT by June 2015, as major portion of works has already been done."
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