MD Srabon, Mongla
The dredging at the outer entrance of Mongla Port started after 70 years. The dredging will increase the port utility functions and remove the hassles of the port users and businesspersons. It is learnt, earlier there was no record of dredging at the outer entrance. As a result, businessmen faced various difficulties in anchoring the ship at the port. Even, many businessmen remained reluctant to deliver goods from the ship, as a result, good laden ships did not anchor in this port.
Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Shipping, on Saturday visited Mongla Port to watch the activities of dredging at the outer-bar (outer anchorage). He was accompanied by Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Bholanath Dey, Joint Chief Rafique Ahmed Siddique, Chairman of Mongla Port Authority Rear Admiral M. Mozammel Haque and other high-ups of the port.
State Minister Khalid Mahmud informed the journalists that the government wants to contribute significantly to import and export trade by retaining a friendly relationship with the countries of the region. That is why steps have been taken to increase import and export of goods through Mongla port by increasing its capacity through multiple development projects. As a part of the development, the dredging activities at the outer-bar of the port has been started for the first time. After the implementation of the project, commercial ships having 10. 5 meter drift would be able to anchor at Mongla port.
Shaokat Ali, Chief Engineer of Civil and Hydrolic Section of Mongla Port Authority informed, the Chinese company Hongkong River Engineering has started the dredging works from the outer entrance ( outer-bar) to the anchorage. With the end of the dredging, the capacity of the port will increase four-fold than that of its present capacity. Cutter and Hopper suction dredgers are being used to this work. Already 25-lakh(2.5 million) cubic feet of soil have been excavated through using the dredgers. However, a total of 103 crore 95 lakh cubic meter soil will be dredged under this project.
Bazlur Rahman, Director of the Project informed, this is for the first time after establishment of the port in 1950, the works of outer-bar dredging of Mongla port has been started. This Taka 712 crore( 7,120 million) project is expected to end in December-2020. Mongla Port Authroity Chairman Rear Admiral M. Mozammel Haque informed, the outer dredging of Pashur Channel has been started with the largest dredger machine of the world Sing Hi Tang by Hongkong River Engineering Company Limited and China Civil Engineering Construction Coprporation.
Captian Rafiqul Islam, Chairman of Bangladesh Shipping Agent Association informed, the importers and exporters from the Mongla port were facing trouble due to an 11 kilometre low-depth area from Heron Point to Hangsaraj at the confluence of Pashur river. After the end of the dredging, the troubles will be removed and there will be an increase in import and export through this port.
