State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury MP said, "Establishment of Ashuganj Inland Container River Port" is a landmark project. It is important to implement this project quickly. The implementation of this project will open new horizons of friendship between Bangladesh and India.
The state minister said this while speaking as the chief guest virtually at a workshop on "Detailed Design Draft Report of Ashuganj Inland Container River Port Establishment Project" on Sunday from his Bochaganj residence in Dinajpur.
Presided over by BIWTA Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq, the function was addressed by Secretary of Shipping, Mohammad Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, Adviser (Infrastructure), Development Partnership Administration-1, Ministry of External Affairs, Pankaj Kumar Singh.
Representatives from BIWTA, Bharati's High Commission, Exim Bank India, Ministry of Shipping and other ministries and agencies, consultants from Tata Consulting Engineers and DPCG attended the virtual meeting.
The State Minister thanked the Government of India and the Exim Bank authorities for coming forward to implement the project.
It is to be noted that inland waterways have facilitated the movement of containers from the inland river ports including Chittagong, Mongla and Payra seaports; Construction of transit sheds with multi-purpose jetties to facilitate cargo transportation; "Ashuganj Inland Container River Port" is being set up to enrich and expand regional and sub-regional trade along the river. The project is being implemented by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) under the Ministry of Shipping.
The cost of the project is estimated at Tk 1,293 crore including local currency 862 crore and project assistance 431 crore. For the implementation of the project, 25.605 acres of privately owned land and 6.17 acres of Ashuganj Fertilizer Factory have been acquired.
TATA Consulting Engineers Limited and DPC Group of Consultant JV (TCE & DPCG JV) have been appointed as consultants for the project. The consulting firm has already submitted Draft Detail Design Report, Draft Cost Estimate and Draft Contract / Tender Document which is in the process of finalization.
The project, to be jointly funded by India and Bangladesh, will revolutionize the regional and sub-regional economies and play a major role in the socio-economic development of the people of the region. After the implementation of this project, not only the GDP growth will be limited but also the cost of transporting raw materials and manufactured goods in the industrial areas of Narayanganj, Narsingdi, Brahmanbaria, Gazipur, Dhaka and Habiganj will be reduced and direct and indirect investment will be mentioned.