Bangladesh and India are now at the final stage of operationalization of the agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla ports for transit of goods to and from India. The agreement was signed between Bangladesh and India in 2018. Following completion of trial runs, necessary permanent standing order or notification would now be issued by the government of Bangladesh for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under this agreement, officials said. This is a "step forward" in realizing the commitment reiterated at the level of the two prime ministers during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to India in September 2022. Read India offers free transit to Bangladesh for exports to third countries

One more Russian ship carrying machinery for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has arrived at Mongla port.This is the fourth arrival of a Russian vessel in Bangladesh since the start of the war in Ukraine last February.The Russian flag carrier, MV ECENIA, carrying 987 MT of different electrical machineries for the power plant, docked at the port’s jetty-8 on Sunday, said Shibli, project manager of the ship's local shipping agent Conveyor Logistics Ltd. Also read: Another Russian shipment for Rooppur arrives at Mongla PortAfter unloading, the machinery from the ship that left Russia on August 17 will be taken to Rooppur Power Plant by road, he added.He also said that the unloading process will be completed soon.Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, chairman of Mongla Port, said that most of the goods for the country's mega projects are being imported through this port, due to the existing facilities.It saves money for the port users on the one hand, and they are also able to take the goods to the project area in a short time, he added. Also read: How Padma Bridge led to largest shipment of reconditioned cars to arrive at Mongla PortEarlier, three ships carrying equipment for Rooppur NPP arrived at Mongla Port on August 1,5 and 6.

Construction of a ferry ghat and connecting road in a location between two LGP plants in Mongla port industrial area may create major risks for the two sensitive establishments. Such concern was expressed by the two largest private operators of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – Omera LPG and Jamuna LPG which opposed the construction of the road and the Laudoba ferry ghat in between their plants in Mongla port area. They also requested the authorities concerned to build the road and ferry ghat at any alternative location so that movement of the foreign LPG carriers to their plants is not obstructed. The LPG operators claimed that the Roads and Highways Department is constructing the road by violating the land policy of the Mongla Port Authority (MPA). They alleged that such construction may lead to a risk of serious accidents in the navigation of Mongla port and also the two LPG plants set up on both sides of the road. The MPA is also not happy to see this road being built through the industrial area of the port by creating obstacles to the Pashur channel. Both Jamuna and Omera LPG plant authorities have lodged complaints with various departments including the MPA, opposing the construction of this road to avoid the risk of accidents. Read: Another Russian shipment for Rooppur arrives at Mongla Port The Roads and Highways Department undertook the project to construct the road and ferry ghat at a cost of Tk 1.90 crore to facilitate the movement of the local people from Dakop upazila to Khulna. Receiving the complaints, initially, the MPA blocked the construction work. But later, the construction work resumed following a verbal permission from the Ministry of Shipping. Meanwhile, President of LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) and owner of Omera Petroleum Azam J Chowdhury met the chairman of the port authority, Rear Admiral M Musa, and requested him through a letter not to allow the construction of the proposed road and ferry ghat between Omera and Jamuna LPG plants in the port industrial area. Officials of the Mongla Port Authority said that they have not given any permission for the construction of the structures through the port industrial area in Bagerhat.   They said if the proposed road and ferry ghat are constructed, the navigation system of the Pashur River channel of the port will be under threat and the navigability there will be reduced.

The Khulna-Mongla railway line, which is expected to expedite the economic activities of the Mongla sea port, is likely to be operational in December. The construction work of the railway track is going on in full swing. "Till now, the progress of the project has been around 95 percent. We hope to inaugurate the line by this year-end," an official said. Once operational, the railway line will play a crucial role in increasing the economic activities of the region. According to the Mongla port authority, the railway link between Khulna and the Mongla sea port is the need of the hour for transportation of goods. In order to ensure the ease of doing business, the government embarked on the railway project worth Tk 3,800 crore some six years ago. Read:Rupsha Railway Bridge, Khulna-Mongla port rail line to facilitate goods transportation; connectivity The project began in November 2016. Initially, the project was scheduled to be completed within May 2020.  Unfortunately, the project has experienced both time and cost overruns, with the deadline of the project being extended to December this year and the cost of the project shooting up to Tk 4,260 crore. Ahmed Hossain Mamun, chief engineer and deputy director of the project, said, " The cost of the project has shot up due to unexpected working conditions and some changes in the project plan. Besides laying 65 kilometres of tracks, we are also building eight stations, 32 bridges and 106 culverts, which increased the project cost." Saiful Islam, secretary-general of Mongla Port Users’ Coordination Committee, said, "The more the construction work of the Khulna-Mongla rail track is getting delayed, the more losses the businessmen who use the Mongla port are incurring."  "Once established, the Khulna-Mongla railway track will bring about massive economic and social changes in the Khulna region,” said Saiful. Abul Khayer Abdullah Khokon Serniabat, general secretary of Mongla Port Berth and Ship Operator Association, said that the Khulna-Mongla rail link will help in transporting goods to Nepal and Bhutan quickly and easily.

A Russian ship carrying machinery for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has arrived at Mongla port.This is the third arrival of a Russian vessel in Bangladesh since the start of the war in Ukraine last February.The Belize flag carrier, MV UNIWISDOM, carrying 1,421 MT of machineries for the power plant, docked at the port’s jetty-7 on Tuesday evening, said Abul Hashem Shamim, Khulna manager of MAC Shipping in Khulna, the vessel's local shipping agent. The unloading of machineries from the ship has already started, he said, adding that the machineries will be later taken to Rooppur Power Plant by road. Read: First Russian ship anchors at Mongla since Ukraine invasion He also said that the unloading process will be completed by next Thursday. Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, chairman of Mongla Port, said that  most of the goods for the country's mega projects are being imported through this port, due to the existing facilities. It saves money for the port users on the one hand, and they are also able to take the goods to the project area in a short time, he added. Earlier, two ships carrying equipment for Rooppur NPP arrived at Mongla Port on August 1 and 5.            

The first trial-basis cargo ship meant to carry goods for northeastern India through Bangladesh's internal waterways reached Mongla port with two containers on Monday. Bangladesh flag-bearing cargo vessel MV Rishad Rayhan anchored at jetty-9 of the port in the morning, having left Kolkata port on August 1, said the Mongla port authority. This is the first of the four trial cargo ships on this route. The cargo ship is now waiting for a trial run on the Mongla-Tamabil and Mongla-Bibirbazar(in Cumilla) routes. This movement of cargo is part of the trial runs being undertaken for the operationalization of the agreement to use Chattogram and Mongla Ports for the transit of goods to and from India which was signed between Indian and Bangladesh in 2018.  In two containers, the vessel carried 16.38 ton of iron pipes in 70 packages and 8.5 ton prefoam in 249 packages. Unloading from the cargo ship began around 11 am.  Also read: First shipment of goods for Bangabandhu Rail Bridge arrives at Mongla port A truck was loaded with container and steel products which left for India around 12 pm. One of the containers will go to India’s Meghalaya state through Tamabil while another will go to India’s Assam through Bibirbazar border, said the port authority. According to the port authority, an agreement and Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) regarding the use of Mongla Port for transportation of goods from India have been signed between the two countries. The decision to conduct the trial run was taken after the 13th Bangladesh-India Joint Group of Customs (JGC) meeting held in March 2022. Chairman of Mongla Port Authority Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, Mongla Customs House Commissioner Mohammad Newazur Rahman, Indian Assistant High Commissioner in Khulna Inderijt Sagar and representatives from Maersk India Ltd were present at the port while the cargo vessel was anchored. Indian Assistant High Commissioner Indar Jeet Sagar said, “This initiative has been taken to speed up the trade using inland waterways on the India-Bangladesh protocol route. This agreement will have a more positive impact on the development of the economy and bilateral relations of the two countries. As per the agreement, the first trial cargo has been shipped to Mongla port today.” There are eight approved routes for transit of goods under the agreement, namely, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Agartala via Akhaura, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Dawki via Tamabil, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Sutarkandi via Sheola, Chattogram/Mongla Port to Srimantapur via Bibirbazar and vice versa on all four routes.  During the visit of Prime Minister of Bangladesh to India in 2019, a SOP was signed to operationalize the agreement.  Also read: How Padma Bridge led to largest shipment of reconditioned cars to arrive at Mongla Port Another trial run is expected be done on the Mongla-Sheola-Sutarkandi route by the end of August 2022 which will mark completion of trial runs on all approved routes under this Agreement, said the Indian High Commission in Dhaka.  As per the understanding reached earlier this year between the two governments, necessary permanent standing order/notification would be issued by the government of Bangladesh after completion of these trials for the operationalization and regular movement of goods under this agreement.

A cargo ship carrying a record number of reconditioned cars from Japan has arrived at Mongla Port directly for the first time.The Malaysian flag carrier, MV Malaysia Star, carrying 1,280 cars docked at jetty 6 of the port on Sunday (August 7) morning, said Sheikh Fakar Uddin, harbour master of Mongla port.Previously a cargo ship carrying reconditioned cars from Japan would first unload some cars at Chattogram Port and then come to Mongla Port. At that time, a ship generally carried 500 to 700 imported cars, he added. Read: Fuel, natural gas price hikes to have domino effect on economy: DCCI"But now importers are bringing cars directly through Mongla Port as the cost and distance have been reduced due to the Padma Bridge," said harbour master Sheikh Fakar.According to the sources, importers and exporters are now showing more interest in Mongla Port as the distance from Dhaka by road has bee reduced due to the Padma Bridge. Recently Mongla Port has set a record in importing reconditioned cars, beating Chattogram Port, sources added.

A Russian ship carrying machinery for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has arrived at Mongla port.This is the second transport of any Russian vessel to Bangladesh since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February this year.The Liberian flag carrier, MV Dragonball, carrying 5,601 MT of machineries for the power plant, docked at the port’s jetty-7 on Friday afternoon, said Sheikh Fakar Uddin, harbour master of Mongla port."As the depth of the ship is high, it is being lightened by discharging some goods," said harbor master Sheikh Fakar. Read: Petroleum prices to go up from SaturdayLater, the vessel will be brought to Jetty-9 of the port on Saturday afternoon.After that, the machineries will be unloaded at the jetty and sent to the power plant.Earlier, the Russian flag carrier, MV Kamilla, carrying 3,328.237 MT of machineries for the power plant docked at the port’s jetty-6 on Monday afternoon.On October 18, 2021, the last Russian container ship -- MV FESCO ULISS -- carrying equipment for Rooppur NPP arrived in Bangladesh, said Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa, Chairman of Mongla Port.

A Russian ship carrying machineries for Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant (NPP) has arrived at Mongla port. This is the first transport of any Russian vessel to Bangladesh since Moscow invaded Ukraine in February this year. The Russian flag carrier, MV Kamilla, carrying 3,328.237 MT of machineries for the power plant, docked at the port’s jetty-6 on Monday afternoon, Sheikh Fakar Uddin, harbour master of Mongla port told UNB. Also read: 1st ship carrying Ukrainian grain leaves the port of Odesa The ship left Russia’s Temryuk port on June 29 and arrived in Bangladesh through Colombo. On October 18, 2021, the last Russian container ship -- MV FESCO ULISS -- carrying equipment for Rooppur NPP arrived in Bangladesh. “From Monday evening, unloading of the machineries from the ship has started,” said harbor master Sheikh Fakar. Also read: Putin extends fast-track Russian citizenship to all Ukraine HM Dulal, the owner of a company contracted for providing labourers to Rooppur NPP, said, "By Wednesday, all machineries will be unloaded from the ship.” There are 13 crew members on the Russian ship and its shipping agent is Conveyor, said the Mongla port authority.

A foreign ship named Maersk Nesna left the Mongla Port in Bagerhat for Poland with Bangladeshi readymade garment (RMG) products for the first time after the launching of the Padma Bridge. Maersk Nesna, a Panama-flagged ship, left the port around 11:30am on Thursday with 17 containers of 27 garment factories. This is the first export shipment of readymade garments to any country from the Mongla Port. Earlier, businesses used to export RMG products throughChattogram Port and air cargo. As communication distance from the capital Dhaka to Mongla Port has reduced after the opening of the Padma Bridge, traders now are choosing Mongla Port as an option for export. Also read:  Customs seizes two more large consignments of liquors from Chattogram port According to Mongla Port Authority, the present distance from Mongla Port to Dhaka is 170 kilometres and Chattogram Port to Dhaka is 260 kilometres.  Businesses are showing their interest to use Mongla Port for its short distance from Dhaka and easy and safe cargo handling.  Mongla Port will save time and money for the exporters, claimed the port authority.   In a statement on Thursday, the port authority said RMG products from 27 garment factories including Fakir Apparels, Windy Limited, KC Lingerie Limited, Artistic Design Limited, Knit Concern Limited, Knit Composite Limited, and Sharmin Apparels have been sent to Poland from No.8 jetty of the port. The shipment included various RMG products including baby clothes, Jersey, Cardigan, T-shirt, and Trousers.   Calling it memorable day, Mongla Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Musa hoped that export of RMG items through Mongla Port will increased in the future. Also read: BGMEA seeks support of IMF to realize strategic vision of RMG industry Bagerhat Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Sheikh Liakat Hossain Liton said economic activities will increase through the Mongla Port thanks to the Padma Bridge.