Mongla Port becomes more vibrant after Padma Bridge opening

Bagerhat Correspondent :

Just after the opening of the long desired Padma Bridge, Mongla Port which was once declared a dead port about one and half a year ago now becomes one of the best, active and the busiest sea ports in the world. As a result, arrival and departure of the foreign commercial ships (including container ships) are increasing day by day.
Once upon a time for want of sufficient navigability of the Pashur channel of Mongla Port container ships used to arrive at Chattogram Port and after unloading the major portions of the imported container goods there and after lowering the draft the ships arrived at Mongla Port.
As a result, the businessmen were unwilling to use Mongla Port for importing containerizing goods. In order to create inspirations among the import-exporters to use Mongla Port the 30 meters long outer bar (from the inner bar point to the entry point (the estuary point of the River Pashur and the Bay of Bengal) was dredged out at a cost of Tk 793 crores 72 lakh 80 thousand ships with 9.5 to 10 drafts can be easily handled at the jetties of the Port. Previously the navigability of the channel was only 5 to 6 meters.
At that time ships with 8.5 meters could not arrive at the jetties of the Port. As a result, Mongla Port now became the golden door of trade and commerce of the southern regions of the country. These were discussed in a meeting held in Mongla Port auditorium on Friday in connection with the observance of 73rd founding anniversary of the Port. Rear Admiral Mir Ershad Ali, Chairman of Mongla Port Authorities told, due to the indomitable efforts of Sheikh Hasina, daughter of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibor Raman and the Premier of the country and the farsighted direction of the Ministry of Water Transportation affairs ushered a “Golden Era” in the history of Mongla Sea Port. The Chairman added, just with the operation of Padma Bridge the distance from Mongla Port to Dhaka shortened 100 kilometers in comparison with the distance between Chattogram Port to Dhaka and consequently, any vehicle containing goods from Mongla Port to Dhaka within 3 to 3-30 hours. The Chairman of Mongla Port Authorities expected, if the Rly connection with Mongla Port to Dhaka via (Narail district headquarters) the activities of the Port (Mongla) will be increased to a great extent. On the other hand, in order to create facilities for the users of the port some 10 new projects including Mongla-Khulna Railway Bridge, Bangladesh-India Friendship coal based Thermo Power Plant (at Rampal in Bagerhat district) were already completed by this time and some many other mills and factories are on the construction. In the meantime, Mongla Port based trade and commercial activities were increased to a great extent in the country. As a result, both the home and foreign investors are now willing to invest to new mills and factories. During the financial year from 2015-16 to 2019-20 Mongla Port authorities earned a net profit Tk 497 crores 31 lakh. On the other hand, during the period as many as 3 thousand 700 foreign commercial ships arrived at the Port. During the financial year of 2020-2022 the Port earned net profit as double and the arrival of the foreign commercial ships at the port was also doubled in comparison with the previous financial years (mentioned above). It was learnt from the Port authorities. In the financial year of 2017-18 the Port authorities earned net profit of Tk 109 crores 33 lakh and during the period as many as 780 commercial ships anchored with the jetties of the Port. In the financial year of 2018-19 the Port authorities profited a sum of Tk 133 crores while in the period some 912 commercial ships arrived at the Port. In the financial year of 2019-20 the Port authorities profited Tk 117 crores and during the period some 903 commercial ships arrived at the Port. During the period from the month of July, 2020 to December 17 as many as 459 foreign commercial ships arrived at the Port. Those ships carried fertilizer, cement, clinkers, ceramic clays, coals, general cargo and heavy machineries of Rampal coal based thermo Power Plant and Ruppur Atomic energy Power Plant, LPG gas, fly ash, edible oil and some materials arrived at the Port.
It is also learnt from the Mongla Port authorities that in order to make it (Mongla) one of the smart and ultra-modern sea ports of the world a number of new projects were undertaken by the Mongla Port Authorities and the Ministry of Water Transportation affairs. The projects include increasing the navigability of the channel of the Port and ascertaining its maintenance, increasing the facilities for the cargos and containers and purchasing/ procuring modern apparatus for the maintenance of them (cargos and containers) also purchasing/procuring of modern machineries for the handling the modern containers and cargos.
Construction of car yard at Joymonirghol, construction of multipurpose jetties at the same Place (Joymonirghol), construction of floating Jetties at Akram point, improvement and extension and pilot station at Heron point, construction of light house and building at Jaford point and construction of a helipad & hanger with all facilities, purchase of helicopters and purchasing of salvation ships etc.