Bangladesh will soon seek foreign fund to build the country's third sea port Paira on government to government (G to G) basis, official sources said.
The decision has been taken after the cabinet committee on economic affairs approved a proposal of the ministry of finance (MoF) last month relating to construction of the proposed port on G to G basis or under Public-Private Partnership (PPP) arrangement, they added.
Last week the MoS (ministry of shipping) asked the Paira Port Authority (PPA) to send a PDPP (preliminary development project proposal) for taking next steps through the planning commission and the economic relations division.
"We have received a letter from the MoS and will soon send a project proposal seeking foreign fund," PPA Member Saidur Rahman told the FE Tuesday.
He said a target has been set to start operation of a full-fledged port by 2018 through building at least 2 to 4 jetties. "To this end a connecting road from Kalapara of Patuakhali to the nearest highway will be built for carrying goods to different destinations."
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina formally inaugurated the Paira sea port on November 19 last year. After that the PPA officials planned to start its operation as an anchorage port. However, since then the port could not start handling goods due to lack of necessary infrastructure.
Months back, the PPA officials set a target of starting operation of the anchorage port by December this year. However, they have now shifted the launching to March next year as setting up of navigational equipment is delayed due to complication over tender documents.
The PPA floated tender to collect navigational equipment for the anchorage port. But at one stage selling of tender documents was stopped on a directive of the parliamentary standing committee on MoS in the face of allegation raised by some interested parties.
They alleged that some prospective suppliers have been favoured by incorporating some conditions in the tender documents.
Fresh tender documents were sold recently to collect navigational equipment for the port operation. Saidur Rahman told the FE that the work order has already been given for collection of the equipment quickly so that operation of anchorage port can be started by March next year.
However, the member secretary of the port, Dr Rezaul Karim, a deputy secretary of MoS, told the FE that the board of directors of the PPA has no idea about awarding the job since no such meeting was held so far in this connection.
Asked, Saidur Rahman told the FE that the Bangladesh Navy is carrying out a survey to check the depth of inland river route to Dhaka from the port point.
He claimed that in most areas of the inland river route the depth of water is between 7 metres and 15 metres except some patches where minimum depth is around 4.9 metres.
Saidur Rahman said after completion of survey the actual position about depth of water will be available and necessary dredging will be carried out to make the inland routes navigable.
He was hopeful that the anchorage port will be able to start operation by March next year without further delay.
On the other hand, officials at the MoS were sceptical whether the operation of the anchorage port will start in March since importing and setting up of navigational equipments will take around six months after awarding the work order.
Besides, they said the sea remains rough during April-August period. The contractor may not be able to set up the navigational equipment before the sea becomes rough due to the delay in awarding the job.
The Chittagong Port Authority has already spent nearly Tk 60 million for carrying out construction work in the port area. The government allocated Tk 556 million in the current budget of 2014-15 for the port.
Besides, the Paira seaport authority has got approval of a development project proposal of Tk 2.473 billion from the MoS for buying 1,000 acres of land, construction of a warehouse, dredging of two river routes, procuring safety equipment, pilot boat and tug boat and other equipment.
In February the MoS asked the PPA to prepare a time-bound plan to make the seaport operational. It also asked the authority to discuss with ministries of food and industries to import food grain and fertiliser through the port.
The authority has also been asked to organise seminars and discussions in presence of traders so that they use the port while importing or exporting goods.
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