Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate some development projects at Payra Seaport on Thursday to equip it with better facilities for smooth operations.

The development projects include—capital dredging of the port, inauguration of eight ships and vessels, inauguration of the first terminal and construction of a six-lane approach road and a bridge.

The disclosure came at a preparatory meeting of the Payra Seaport Authority in Patuakhali. State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury chaired the meeting.

“PM Sheikh Hasina has built the Payra Seaport to develop the long-neglected southern region of Bangladesh. I’m already witnessing a surge in economic activities in this region brought about by this seaport,” Khalid said.

Through the capital dredging of the seaport’s Rabnabad channel, a 75km-long, 100-125meter-wide and 10.5meter-deep channel will be created.

Once operational, a total of 40,000 tons of cargo or 3000 container-laden ships will be able to dock. The channel will cost an estimated Tk 5,000 crore and will be built by Belgian dredging company--Jan De Nul.

Among the eight vessels to be inaugurated on Thursday, two are pilot vessels, two are heavy duty speedboats, one is a buoy laying vessel, one is a survey boat and two are tugboats. These ships and vessels will help the port authority to monitor the arrival and departure of foreign ships and maintain the channel.

Read: Maintenance dredging work underway at Payra port

Once the construction of the first terminal, the six-lane highway and the bridge is completed, a total of three foreign ships carrying containers or bulk cargos will be able to dock simultaneously at the Payra Seaport. The terminal will cost Tk 4,500 crore and will be opened for operation in December, 2023.

The 6.35km-long, six-lane approach road is being built by the Roads and Highways Department (RHD). Spectra Engineers Limited has been given the responsibility of the construction at a cost of Tk 655 crore. The road will also be opened to traffic in December, 2023.

A 1,180 meter-long bridge is being built over the Andharmanik river to transport goods of the Payra Seaport. The bridge will cost Tk 780 crore and will be constructed over a period of two and a half years.

Muhibur Rahman Muhib, Member of Parliament (MP) from Patuakhali-4 constituency and Rear Admiral M Sohael, Chairman of Payra Port Authority, among others, were present at the meeting.

The Prime Minister inaugurated the Payra Seaport on November 19, 2013.