Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on today expressed hope that the modernisation of Mongla Port would turn it into a promising economic hub for the country’s southwestern and northwestern regions, opening up new opportunities for trade, investment and industrialisation.I firmly believe Mongla Port can become a promising economic hub for the southwestern and northwestern regions of the country,” he said while laying the foundation stone of the Tk 4,068 crore Mongla Port Expansion and Modernisation Project at a ceremony in Mongla, Bagerhat.The prime minister said economic activities could be expanded across Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Jashore centring on the port.He also said modernising Mongla Port was one step towards achieving the trillion-dollar economic target, stressing the need to ensure navigability, reliable navigation channels, safe vessel movement and competitive port services.Tarique said the government wanted to expand road connectivity from Panchagarh to Mongla, along with the port’s supply chain and cargo transportation facilities.
He said the development and operation of Khan Jahan Ali Airport were also among the government’s priorities.
The prime minister said Mongla Port could strengthen the country’s economic security by serving as a complementary port for importing fuel, fertiliser, food grains and industrial raw materials, as well as exporting domestic products.The initiative will help strengthen the country’s industry, trade and economic security. In particular, it will create sustainable socio-economic value by generating employment for the younger generation, boosting investors’ confidence and ensuring balanced regional development,” he said.
Thanking the Chinese government for its continued support for Bangladesh’s infrastructure and trade development, Tarique said the modernisation project would include a modern container terminal, yards and cargo-handling facilities.He expressed confidence that timely completion of the project would transform the economic landscape of the region and open up new economic opportunities for the entire country.
Prime minister’s Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony said Tarique laid the foundation stone around 11:15am for the project to construct two container jetties and develop associated infrastructure at a cost of Tk 4,068 crore.
Once implemented, container trains will be able to travel directly from Kamalapur Inland Container Depot in Dhaka to Mongla Port, helping turn it into a major import-export hub, he said.
The prime minister also planted a tree on the port premises during the visit.
Tarique said the success of the project would not depend solely on completing construction work but also on improving port services, reducing cargo handling time and costs, increasing investment and employment, and protecting the environment.
He stressed the need to ensure environment-friendly services, pollution control and safe waste management from ships, while following international environmental and safety standards, building climate-resilient infrastructure and increasing the use of renewable energy.
The prime minister also called for strengthening fire safety, training personnel and developing the capacity to deal with emergencies, particularly in hazardous operations.
Calling on international partners, development organisations and expatriate Bangladeshis to invest in the country, he said the government was committed to ensuring an investment-friendly environment, simplified services, reliable infrastructure and policy continuity.
Tarique also called for making the port more attractive to international shipping companies and developing it as a first-call port under appropriate commercial and operational conditions.
He said the government had already started work and taken initiatives to ensure gas supplies to industries in the region.
“We want to supply gas to industries. We have already started working on this,” the prime minister said, expressing the government’s desire to revive the industrial heritage of the Khulna region, which once had many mills and factories.
