Appointment of foreign operators for Chittagong Port should be appreciated: BKMEA president
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) president Mohammad Hatem has said instead of opposing the decision to appoint foreign operator to increase port management efficiency in the country, businesses should welcome it.
He feels it will open an opportunity to learn the know-how of modern technology and international standard port management for the local operators.
Mohammad Hatem came up with the remarks at a seminar on challenges and prospects of the logistic sector.
English daily Financial Express organised the seminar at a hotel in the capital on Sunday. Shipping ministry secretary Md Yusuf was the chief guest of the seminar and Financial Express editor Shamsul Haque Zahid presided over the event.
Decision to increase surcharge under question
Expressing frustration over the sudden decision to increase the surcharge at the Chittagong Port by 40 per cent, the BKMEA president said, “The port authority is a service providing agency. It is quite unreasonable to increase surcharges at such a high level without any prior discussion or logical explanation.”
“Why does a government have to make big profits?” he questioned.
New terminal and alternative ports
Mohammad Hatem stressed on the significance of filling the infrastructural deficiencies to achieve the export target saying, “The bay terminal needs to be launched quickly. If we can use 100 per cent of the capability of the Mongla and Payra ports, it is possible to achieve the export target of USD 100 billion per year.”
The BKMEA president further said not only the port management, there should be improvement in several factors including gas and power crisis, uninterrupted fuel supply and law and order. There are no alternatives to those to grow exports, he added.