Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said that to survive in the competitive world, the capacity of the Chittagong Port must be increased. He made these comments at a press conference at the Shaheed Md. Fazlur Rahman Munshi Auditorium on Thursday. The press conference was organized on the occasion of the 138th Port Day.
Chittagong Port is a very important institution for the country. Chittagong Port is the main driving force of the country's growth. He said that the door to possibilities has been opened due to trade agreements with different countries. New investments are coming at the Business Summit. For this, the capacity of the port must be increased. After five years, 5 million TEUs of containers will have to be handled. An agreement has been reached to build a terminal and a bay terminal at the Matarbari Deep Sea Port. This month is fortunate for the country and the port. Matarbari Sea Port will go into operation in 2029. Ports and customs have to work together. You can see the benefits of this. The auction has gained momentum.
The port chairman said that with the introduction of e-ticketing, it is being implemented in all systems. We are introducing a maritime single window. This will brighten the image in the outside world. Payments will become digital. There is no alternative to digitalization and decarbonization. We will automate the entire port activities by June. The Green Maritime Corridor will be Chittagong Port. Matarbari, Bay Terminal, Laldia will be green ports. If these terminals are launched, new shipping routes will open.
Regarding employment, he said, our young generation has great potential. They need to be employed. From Chittagong to Cox's Bazar will be Singapore. Investors are ready. They want security, trust, and a beautiful environment. They want to be assured of maritime and port security.
Stating that there is no free trade zone, he said that if this can be done, great potential will be created. We will earn 10-12 billion dollars annually. We are the number one cotton-using country. If there is a free trade zone, foreign exchange will be saved in the cotton sector. It is logical that this zone should be in Chittagong as it has an airport, seaport, and industrial area.
The port chairman said that initiatives have been taken to build a reefer container yard and cold storage at the port with funding from US aid.
He said that the use of the tunnel will increase when the bay terminal becomes operational. 663 people are being promoted and 363 people are being appointed. We are trying to make the port user-friendly. The port will purchase two dredgers suitable for maintaining a 16-meter draft.
As part of its social responsibility, Chittagong Port is assisting the City Corporation's waterlogging project in various ways. We have conducted a joint operation at the outer anchorage. Senior officials of Chittagong Port were present at the press conference.
