Close on heels of experts harping on importance of infrastructure development and logistics to enhance trade competitiveness during a recent webinar, participated by the President of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers Exporters Association (BGMEA), Dr. Rubana Huq amongst others, two contracts were signed on Wednesday between the Chittagong Port Authority and Nippon Koei, JV and between Roads and Highways Department and Oriental Consultants Global Company Limited JV for the Matarbari Port Development Project.
The objective of the project is to help maintain competitiveness of Bangladeshi products in the global market by developing a reliable and low-cost logistic network for seaborne cargo or freight handling and transporting facilities.
As per a press release issued by the concerned authorities in this direction, Project Director of Chittagong Port Authority, Zafar Alam and Naoki Kudo, the representative of Nippon Koei JV, signed the agreement for engineering services on behalf of their respective sides while representative of the OC-Global JV, Shunji Yoshihara and Project Director of Matarbari Port Development Project (RHD Part), Md. Sadequl Islam, signed the agreement for consultancy services.
It may be mentioned here this project is an important ‘Fast Track Project’ of the Government and outcome of the ‘BIG-B’ or The Bay of Bengal Industrial Growth Belt, which was jointly announced by Prime Ministers of Japan and Bangladesh in September 2014.
The project (Matarbari Port Development Project) has been undertaken to ensure sustainable development to build sound maritime logistics that will support the growing Exim trade of Bangladesh and to develop as a regional hub of connectivity, underlined State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mamud Chowdhury.
Expected to be operational by 2025, Matarbari Port will be Bangladesh’s first ever deep-sea port and will facilitate trade through the Chittagong Port.
