Saleh Noman, back from Matarbari
Construction of Tk 5,400 billion (540,000 crore) Matarbari deep sea port is going on in full swing at Maheshkhali upazila in Cox’s Bazar.
During a recent spot visit, it was found that massive work is going on at the island upazila for construction of first phase of the deep sea port, a 1200 MW coal-based power plant, and road infrastructure.
To implement these projects, Matarbari JVC, a joint venture conglomerate, has been formed with Japan's Tokyo Electric Power Services Company Limited (Tepesco), Japan's top engineering consulting firm Nippon Koi, British engineering consulting firm Fichtner and Australia's SMEC.
Three other Japanese firms – Sumitomo Corporation, Toshiba Corporation and IHI Corporation – have been appointed as contractors for the construction work.
Under this joint venture, Matarbari deep seaport, the dream project of Bangladesh, and the 1200 MW power plant would be built by the end of 2024/25.
In the first part of the first phase of the Matarbari deep sea port, the cost of construction is Tk 17,777 crores. The development project proposal (DPP) has been finalized to ensure that the ships will berth before 2026. Soon the DPP will be sent to the National Economic Council, Ecnec, for approval.
Project officials said, a decision has been made to construct breakwater, waterways and widening works on a part of the port through the ‘Matarbari JVC’ consultants of the coal power plant.
Mainly the channels and terminals are being built to bring coal to the coal-powered plant. Separately, two terminals will be constructed, one for container landing and the other multipurpose, capable of landing all types of goods as a deep sea port.
Under this project, jetties for unloading imported coal from mother vessels which are unable to berth at Chattogram and Mongla port now, construction of townships, electrification in the local area, construction of transmission lines and connecting roads of power plants, are included.
Mentionable, the construction of an ultra-super critical coal-based power plant with two units, each 600 MW capacity, at Matarbari and Dhalghat union of Maheshkhali has already been started by state-owned Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL).
According to the Development Project Proposal (DPP), the estimated cost of this project is Tk 35,984 crore. A total of Tk 28,939 crore will be funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) as project aid, the remaining Tk 7,045 crore from CPGCBL's own funds.
On August 22, 2017, the contractors started construction work of the power plant. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina laid the foundation stone on January 28, 2018.
Mohammad Nazrul Islam, project director of the Matarbari Coal Power Plant, said 27 percent work of power plant construction has been completed in 2019.
Along with the coal-based power project, deep sea port construction is also underway. Coal terminals are being constructed by creating a special breakwater waterway. The construction of port terminals has also begun to mobilise mother vessels, utilising the same navigable facilities.
State Minister of Shipping, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, and Rear Admiral Zulfiqar Aziz, Chairman of Chattogram Port Authority, as well as other officials, visited the Matarbari deep-sea port area on Wednesday.
During the visit, State Minister of Shipping Khalid Mahmud told reporters, “The dream of building a deep sea port is on its way to reality. Once the little-known Matarbari, now is known worldwide as a unique example of development in Bangladesh.”
Khalid Mahmud also said, “Soon, the DPP of deep sea port will be placed to Ecnec for approval.”
The first phase of construction of the Matarbari port has two terminals. In the second phase, three container terminals will be built. Thus, the deep sea port will be extended periodically.
In the Tk 17,777 crore cost of the first phase, the cost of construction of the road to connect the Chattogram-Cox's Bazar Highway was estimated at Tk 8 thousand crore.
Officials informed that four thousand people from home and abroad are working. Of them, there are more than a thousand foreign engineers and experts.
Satoru Fujimagari, the veteran Japanese engineer, is leading the entire construction work for joint venture ‘Matarbari JVC’. He is the project manager of Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal Based Power Plants.
Talking to this reporter at the project area in Matarbari on Wednesday evening, he said, “I am pleased with the progress of the project. I am optimistic about its timely completion.”
This is a long-term project, a new relationship between Bangladesh and Japan has been made through these projects, which has brought the two countries closer, he said.
A group of Japanese companies will pay Tk 12,000 crores for the deep sea port construction project, repayable in 20 years. The rest of the money will be provided by the Bangladesh Government and the Chattogram Port Authority.
In addition to coal-based power plants and deep sea ports, a project on the oil sector is also underway.
