Govt to develop shipping sector utilising blue economy: Khalid

The government wants to flourish the country's shipping sector utilising the blue economy, said State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury at an event in Narayanganj on Sunday, reports BSS.

He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of construction work of 45 terminal pontoons at Ananda Shipyard at Meghnaghat here, said a press release.

Khalid Mahmud inaugurated the building of the terminal pontoons, to be installed at different river ports across the country.

Chairman of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Commodore M Mahbub-ul Islam was also present at the inaugural programme.

Khalid Mahmud said the government has taken an initiative to set up 45 terminal pontoons at different river ports to develop the ports and improve the passenger services.

Noting that unprecedented visible development has taken place in the shipping sector under the government of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the state minister said, "We want to flourish the shipping sector utilising the blue economy".

BIWTA has taken the initiative of building the pontoons at a cost of Tk 980 million (Tk 98 crore). The size of each pontoon will be 100 feet in length, 32 feet wide and 7.5 feet depth.

The BIWTA signed an agreement with the Ananda Shipyard in this regard. It is expected that the terminal pontoons would be prepared by December, 2020.