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ECNEC approves project to enhance Mongla Port's capacity

| Updated: February 19, 2020 10:16:49


Mongla Port Mongla Port

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved a project involving  for enhancing the capacity of Mongla Port with Taka 60.15 billion.

Out of the total project cost, Taka 15.55 billion will come from the government of Bangladesh portion while the rest of Taka 44.59 billion from the Indian Line of Credit.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area on Tuesday. ECNEC Chairperson and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting.

Briefing reporters after the meeting, Planning Minister MA Mannan said the Mongla Port Authority under the Ministry of Shipping will implement the Mongla Port capacity enhancing project in a bid to ensure modern facilities for the port users.

The planning minister said apart from meeting the growing local demand of container handling, importers from India, Nepal and Bhutan would also be able to use this port.

Planning Commission officials said once this project is implemented, it would be possible to handle additional 15 million tons of cargo and 4,00,000 TEUs of containers.

They said the project to upgrade the Mongla Port has been drafted and thus given approval by ECNEC considering the upgradation of Dhaka-Mawa-Mongla Highway, the special economic zone adjacent to the Mongla Port, Padma Bridge construction, Khan Jahan Ali International Airport, Extension of Mongla EPZ, construction of Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.

The main project operations include construction of container terminals with all facilities at Jetty Number 1 and 2 of the port, construction of container handling yard and container delivery yard with all facilities, construction of service vessel jetty, shed and office, extension of port building, construction of MPA tower, port residential complex with community facilities, mechanical workshop, equipment yard, and marine workshop complex.

The minister informed that Tuesday's ECNEC meeting approved a total of nine projects with an estimated cost of Taka 136.39 billion.

“Of the total cost of nine projects, Taka 88.86 billion will come from the government of Bangladesh portion, Taka 2.93 billion from the concerned organisation’s own fund while the rest of Taka 44.59 billion from project assistance,” he added.

All the approved nine projects are new projects.

The planning minister said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the meeting stressed the need for planting trees along both sides of the roads and highways as well as keeping water bodies and water reservoirs in case of constructing large-scale infrastructures.

The Premier also underscored the need for not blocking the waterways through constructing unnecessary bridges, rather to keep the provision of ferries where it is necessary.

She also put emphasis on installing more scanner machines at the ports and in other areas where it is deemed necessary, ensure a strong waste management system as well as setting up Central Effluent Treatment Plants (CETPs) where it is necessary alongside constructing modern slaughter houses in the cities and towns.

Mannan said the Prime Minister also opined to consider proposals from foreign firms or entrepreneurs to produce power from waste.

Ministers and State Ministers attended the meeting while Planning Commission members and secretaries concerned were present.

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