ECNEC nods Tk 60.14b project to enhance Mongla Port’s capacity

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina chairs the ECNEC meeting at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, Dhaka on 18 February 2020. Photo: PID
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina chairs the ECNEC meeting at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, Dhaka on 18 February 2020. Photo: PID

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Tuesday approved nine projects with an estimated cost of Tk 136.39 billion including one for enhancing the capacity of Mongla Port with over Tk 60.14 billion.

The approval came from a meeting of the ECNEC with its chairperson prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The meeting was held at the NEC Conference Room in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area.

Briefing newsmen after the meeting, planning minister MA Mannan said that a total of nine projects were approved today involving an overall estimated cost of Tk 136.39 billion.

“Of the total project cost, Tk 88.86 billion will come from the government exchequer, Tk 2.93 billion from the concerned organisation’s fund while the rest of Tk 44.59 billion as project assistance,” he added.

All the approved nine projects are new projects.

Mannan said the Mongla Port Authority under the shipping ministry will implement the capacity enhancing project in a bid to ensure modern facilities for the port users.

Out of the total project cost of Tk 60.14 billion for Mongla Port, the government will provide Tk 15.55 billion while the rest of Tk 44.59 billion will be provided from the Indian Line of Credit.

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 tonnes of cargo and 400,000 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 no. 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.

Prime minister Sheikh Hasina chairs the ECNEC meeting at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, Dhaka on 18 February 2020. Photo: PID
Prime minister Sheikh Hasina chairs the ECNEC meeting at the NEC Conference Room in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar area, Dhaka on 18 February 2020. Photo: PID

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.

She also underscored the need for not blocking the waterways through constructing unnecessary bridges, rather to keep the ferry facilities where it is necessary.

She also put emphasis on installing more scanning 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 directed to consider proposals from foreign firms or entrepreneurs to produce power from waste.

The other projects approved in the meeting are -- Rajshahi metropolis city integrated infrastructures development with Tk 29.31 billion, Freedom Fighter late Alhaj Kamal Uddin Road Development in Noakhali district with Tk 2.82 billion, Upgrading Karnaphuli Tunnel link road including Anwara upazila link road with Tk 4.07 billion, Shariatpur-Janzira-Naodoba (Padma Bridge approach road) development with Tk 16.82 billion, Modernisation of ports with necessary facilities at Paturia and Daulatdia with Tk 13.51 billion, Protecting the establishments from the left river bank of Padma under Charghat and Bagha upazilas in Rajshahi with Tk 7.22 billion, Integrated Livestock Development at the now defunct enclaves and char areas with Tk 1.28 billion and Integrated livestock development at Haor areas with Tk 1.18 billion.