Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has inaugurated some development projects, including capital dredging at Payra Port, aiming to equip it with better facilities for smooth operations.
Other inaugurated projects included eight ships and vessels, the first terminal, the construction of a six-lane approach road and a bridge at Payra Port.
The prime minister virtually inaugurated the development projects from her official residence Ganabhaban on Thursday.
Sheikh Hasina urged the global community to end the Russia-Ukraine war, withdraw sanctions and allow people, who have nothing to do with the war, to have a shot at a better life.
“I urge people of the world, this war must be stopped, sanctions have to be withdrawn, people need to have a scope to live their lives,” she said.
The PM said that the entire world, including developed countries, are facing acute energy and electricity crisis due to the Russia-Ukraine war.
“We are facing the impact too. Prices of everything shot up suddenly due to the impact of Covid-19 pandemic and Russia-Ukraine war and sanctions,” she said.
The masses are bearing the brunt, Hasina observed.
“They are in pain. I don’t know who is making profit… may be those who produce and trade arms, but general people, not only in Bangladesh but also around the world, are suffering a lot,” she said.
The prime minister briefly described the projects initiated for development of the naval routes and said that Bangladesh’s economy would be more vibrant, stronger and developed once the measures taken are completed.
She said the government has been developing roads, railway, air and waterways but the priority is developing the naval routes across the country to ensure transportation of goods at the cheapest rate.
She stressed the need for dredging the naval routes every year, after their capital dredging, to ensure navigability.
Sheikh Hasina said her government is arranging dredgers for every seaport, as maintenance dredging is required every year to ensure navigability.
The prime minister said the government wanted to connect the seaport with north Bengal and it can also connect Assam of India and Bhutan. In this connection, she said that her government had already allowed India, Nepal and Bhutan to use Mongla and Chattogram seaports.
Sheikh Hasina said she had to face opposition from many when she wanted to establish the Payra Port. The claim was that it would not be viable.
She said that after taking office, she took every measure following the footsteps of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. She quoted Bangabandhu as saying that socio-economic development of Bangladesh would happen due to its geographical position.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Shipping Secretary Md. Mostafa Kamal and Chairman of the Payra Port Authority Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail also spoke at the event.
A documentary on the development of the Payra Port was screened at the programme.