CHATTOGRAM, May 13: The Chief Adviser Prof. Dr Muhammad Yunus has attached first priority to the development of Chattogram Port, prime sea port of the country, as an world class port.
During his first ever visit to his home district after assuming office as the head of the interim government tomorrow (May 14, he will first visit the Chattogram Port.
In his daylong visit of packed itinerary stretching from Chattogram port to the University of Chattogram, the oldest higher academic institution of the region, and Jobra village under Fatehpur union of Hathazari upazila.
According to CA's visit schedule, he will attend a meeting on NCT -5 premises inside Chattogram Port to exchange views with senior officials of port and shipping sector and representatives of various port users organizations and trade body leaders.
A multi-media presentation will be made at the function on existing port operations, performance, future prospects as well as on-going and proposed key installations, including Bay Terminal and Matarbari Deep Sea Port.
Earlier, the Chief Adviser directed the persons concerned to quickly settle discussions with potential foreign investors to increase the capacity of Chattogram port with world-class services in an effort to make the country an investment hub.
"We'll have to involve such operators in port management so that our ports can gain the ability to compete in the international market. We must make our ports world-class to implement the investment hub that we are talking about," he said.
The Chief Adviser made the directives at a high-level meeting with officials of the Ministry of Shipping, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), Bangladesh Economic Zone Authority (BEZA), Chittagong Port Authority and other relevant departments recently.
The government is considering engaging leading global port operators to run the country's port facilities, aiming to maximise the use of its limited capacity as well as to stressed the need to safeguard jobs at the ports and labour rights during the process.
Bangladesh could attract $3 billion in foreign direct investment (FDI) for three port development projects, including Chattogram Port's Laldia Container Terminal and two proposed terminals under the Bay Terminal expansion project.
