Ctg port to get 283.23 acres land soon for Matarbari port

Chattogram Bureau: The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) will get 283.23 acres of land soon for developing the Matarbari port in a bid to enhance the cargo handling capacity of the country.
To this end, CPA has already handed over a cheque of Tk 75.11 crore to the Cox’s Bazar district administration office for the 283.23 acres of land acquired for the development project around the Matarbari seaport.
On March 10 in 2020, the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) approved the “Matarbari Port Development Project” with Tk 17,777.16 crore in a bid to enhance the cargo handling capacity of the country. Of the total project cost of Taka 17,777.16 crore for the Matarbari project, Tk 2,671.15 crore will come from the government of Bangladesh, Tk 2,213.24 crore from the CPA while the rest Tk12,892.76 crore from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
CPA under the Ministry of Shipping, and the Roads and Highways Division are implementing the “Matarbari Port Development project,” set to be completed by December 2026.
CPA Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan said the main objective of the project is to enhance the cargo handling capacity of Bangladesh through constructing the Matarbari Port including link road and thus fulfill the demand of international trade as well as facilitating speedy port services with the neighboring countries. He said the Matarbari Sea Port would be the country’s 4th port after Chittagong, Mongla, and Payra and it would be built as a huge port, in view of the growing pressure of economic activities. “This is another ‘dream’ project for the country and it will further strengthen our journey towards the ocean as well as boost our trade and commerce,” he added.
He said that Matarbari Port would fulfill the government’s aspirations for a deep-sea port side by side creating opportunities for anchoring container-laden vessels, open goods-laden vessels and oil tankers at the port jetty.

“Besides, this port will minimize the pressure on the Chittagong Port alongside meeting the growing demand of the country’s import and export activities. Goods transportation to and from the potential industrial estates at Matarbari and Moheshkhali will also be facilitated once this port is established,” he added.

He informed that the Matarbari Port will have two separate terminals where ships having around 8,500 TEUs containers could anchor as there will be an 18-meter draft at the port channel.

The main project operations include construction of a multipurpose terminal and a container terminal, procurement of necessary cargo handling equipment and construction of around 26.7km link road, he added.