Pangaon Terminal’s operational deal with Swiss firm needs to keep a close eye

The Pangaon Inland Container Terminal in Keraniganj is finally going to be operational at full capacity.

This is undoubtedly an important development for the country’s maritime logistics sector.

For a long time, this terminal, which has potential for waterways, could not be activated as desired due to losses and management complications.

Despite having a capacity of 200,000 containers per year, the terminal was almost idle due to a shortage of ships, a shortage of operators, and a lack of modern equipment.

In such a context, entrusting the management of the terminal to the Switzerland-based Medlog for 22 years is a realistic step.

Pangaon Terminal was a gateway to immense potential for transporting goods from the capital and its surrounding industrial areas.

But the reality of the past decade has been extremely disappointing. While 94 percent of goods are transported by road on the Dhaka-Chittagong route, the contribution of waterways was only 1 percent.

This project of 154 crore taka was in a state of disrepair due to lack of investment, insufficient ships and shortage of skilled operators.

Now Medlog has invested 490 crore taka here and has equipped it with state-of-the-art cranes, its own specialized ships.

However, behind this glimmer of development, some fundamental questions and concerns remain.

Handing over Pangaon to a foreign company for 22 consecutive years, like the Patenga terminal, is a major strategic decision.

Although the role of foreign companies in bringing modern technology and large investments is undeniable, but there is room to wonder how safe it is to be overly dependent on foreign countries in the long term for an important national and strategic infrastructure.

It is important to keep a close eye on ensuring that the monopoly of foreign companies in port or terminal management does not in any way undermine our own policymaking autonomy in the future.

We must not forget this common risk, as overdependence often goes against national interests and only focuses on maximizing business profits.

Making the Pangaon Terminal operational was the need of the hour and the appointment of an international standard operator is a strong step in that direction.

We hope that this agreement will inject new life into the country’s economy and reduce the long-standing suffering of businessmen.

We will certainly benefit from the expertise of foreign institutions, but at the same time, increasing domestic capacity and ensuring effective oversight is also one of the government’s responsibilities.

We want Pangaon to become a permanent asset to the country’s overall economy, rather than just a means of profit for a foreign company.