United News of Bangladesh

Import-export between Bangladesh and India through Benapole and Sonamasjid land ports will remain suspended for five and eight days respectively on the occasion of Hindu community’s largest religious festival Durga Puja. Shamim Hossain, director of Benapole Port, said the suspension will continue till October 2 beginning on September 28. The export and import activities will resume from October 4, he said, adding that internal operations at the Benapole Customs House and port will continue, allowing goods to be cleared and Indian trucks to return. Trade through Burimari land port to remain shut for 8 days during Durga Puja Ruhul Amin, general secretary of Sonamasjid Land Port C&F Agents Association, said that due to Durga Puja, another government holiday and weekly holiday, the import-export between the countries will be closed till October 3. Immigrants with valid documents will, however, be able to cross the border during the vacation.  

On the muddy banks of the mighty Meghna River, the dream of a modern river port in Chandpur remains elusive, bogged down by delays, dwindling manpower, and fading hope. Nearly a year after construction began on the Chandpur Modern River Port, progress remains painfully slow. A recent visit to the site revealed a sleepy scene -- six or seven workers, a few scattered tools and a major infrastructure project that appears frozen in time. Launch operations suspended in Chandpur for inclement weather “It won’t be done this year, maybe not even by 2028,” remarked one local. This sentiment is echoed by many others who have observed the project’s construction -- or rather, its stagnation -- over the past several months. The Tk 100-crore project, financed by the World Bank and overseen by the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), was initially scheduled for completion by August this year, according to the then BIWTA chairman, who spoke to journalists in May last year. But, only 15 per cent of the work has been completed so far, according to BIWTA sources. BIWTA’s current Chandpur Deputy Director, Md Bashir Ahmed, remains hopeful. “We’re trying our best. The deadline has been extended to December. After the original contractor, Toma Construction, fled to Canada during last year’s political transition,” he said. The need for a modern terminal in Chandpur is not new. For over a decade, more than 10,000 people, including women, children and the elderly, have used this launch ghat daily to travel to and from Dhaka, Narayanganj, and nearby districts such as Faridganj, Haimchar, Hajiganj and Raipur, the BIWTA sources said. On festival days, this number increases significantly, with as many as 35 launches operating daily. Yet the existing facilities remain grossly inadequate. There are no waiting areas, no drinking water, no toilets and no designated feeding corners for children. Passengers also suffer additional discomfort -- such as a gangway that lacks a canopy, leaving travellers soaked in the rain. Besides, the chaos of makeshift shops congesting the surrounding roads adds to the misery, although recent efforts have cleared some of them. Even the construction site itself raises concerns. Built on a vulnerable stretch of riverbank, the terminal stands precariously close to the Meghna, a river known for its powerful currents and unpredictable erosion. Locals expressed their worry that the unfinished structure might one day be swallowed by the river before it even becomes operational. Depression-induced rains disrupt life in Chandpur Despite the slow progress, many residents continue to hope that this long-awaited port will eventually offer safe, comfortable, and dignified travel for the people of Chandpur. “We’ve engaged a subcontractor and asked him to speed up the work,” Bashir added.  

Movement of containers at Chittagong Port remains suspended since Tuesday morning as prime movers (trailer) enforced a strike, demanding their wages as declared from the government. The workers, who operate the trailers loaded with containers to their designated vessels, began gathering in the morning. They left their vehicles stranded at the port, halting the movement of goods-laden containers. Indian Minister’s visit: Decision on suspending trade for 3 days through Benapole port withdrawn The Prime Mover (trailer), Concrete Mixer, Flatbed, and Dump Truck Workers' union called a two-day strike, demanding government-declared wages, job appointments after recruitment, and ID cards with photos. Every day, around 2,000 containers are moved in the port area. Ruhul Amin Shikdar, General Secretary of the Government Depot Association, said that if the situation continues, export activities will be delayed. Md Omar Faruk, Secretary of Chittagong Port, said the jetty, yard, and terminal activities were normal. An initiative has been taken to hold a meeting between the workers and owners regarding the ongoing strike, he added.  

The government of Bangladesh has launched an initiative to expand the Burimari Land Port, aiming to enhance services for passport holders and boost trade efficiency. This move involves the acquisition of 60.89 acres to develop the port’s infrastructure, signaling a significant step in its expansion. The local administration has already begun the land acquisition process for a project named ‘Expansion and Passenger Terminal Development of the Land Port’. Once completed, this project promises to transform the land port into a state-of-the-art facility. This initiative is part of the government’s strategy to increase export-import activities with neighboring countries, particularly India. It is anticipated that the expanded infrastructure will significantly elevate the port’s capabilities, facilitating increased trade between Bangladesh, India, and other neighboring nations. ‘Burimari Express’ to be inaugurated by PM on Dec 1 The port, currently spanning 11.15 acres, has been operating at full capacity since its inception. Its existing infrastructure includes an academic building, three digital weigh bridges, a fire hydrant system, a workers’ shed, storage sheds of various capacities, transhipment areas, and open yards. Deputy Commissioner of Burimari Customs, Abdul Alim, highlighted that the project’s completion will not only bring socio-economic benefits to the area but also generate employment opportunities, reducing challenges faced by passport holders and traders. Burimari land port shut for 6 days amid workers’ strike State Minister for Shipping, Khalid Mahmud, projected the establishment of a world-class land port in Lalmonirhat within three years. Additionally, Md Gias, assistant director of Burimari Port, emphasized the modernization’s role in streamlining passenger and port operations, which is expected to enhance revenue generation and combat irregularities and smuggling activities.

Bangladesh's Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (March 19, 2023) said that India can use ports in Chattogram and Sylhet if they want. The Prime Minister said this while Member of the Governing Council of India Foundation, Ram Madhav, called on her at her official residence Ganabhaban. PM’s Deputy Press Secretary KM Shakhawat Moon briefed reporters after the meeting. Sheikh Hasina said that the government puts emphasis on regional connectivity which will result in better people-to-people ties. Also read: Teen gangs must be stopped: PM The PM conveyed her greetings to the Indian Prime Minister during her meeting with Ram Madhav. The member of the Governing Council of India Foundation highly appreciated the socioeconomic advancement of Bangladesh under the leadership of PM Sheikh Hasina. He said that Bangladesh and India have excellent friendship as neighbouring countries and hoped that the relation will continue in the coming days. Ambassador at Large M Ziauddin, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shahriar Alam and Principal Secretary M Tofazzel Hossain Miah were present during the event. Read More: Be vigilant against food hoarding, black-marketing: PM

The operation of Matarbari deep sea port will start in 2026, said State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury on Sunday. The Matarbari deep sea port is visible now and the construction work of the jetty and container yard will start in July next, he said while talking to reporters after visiting the Matarbari port development activities. Once the sea port starts operation, large feeder vessels will be anchored at the port which will save time and money, he said adding, the Matarbari sea port will be turned into a commercial hub. The state minister the government took the Matarbari Port Development Project involving Tk 17,777.20 crore and the tenure of the project was set till December 31, 2026. Currently, the authorities have completed the drawing design of the project. Read more: Govt positive about Singapore company's 400MW Matarbari solar power plant proposal: Nasrul Already the construction work of a 350 metre wide, 16 metre deep and 14.30 kilometre long approach channel has been completed while the construction work of a 2,150 metre long break water ( one kind of dam) on the northern side of the port and 670 metre long break water on the southern side of the port also finished, said Khalid. Asheq Ullah Rafiq MP, chairman of Chattogram port Rear Admiral M Shahjahan and coordinator of Matarbari port project Md Yusuf were present there.

A large container vessel having a draught of 10 metres and length of 200 metres will anchor at the Chittagong Port for the first time on trial basis on Sunday, according to Chattogram port officials. Enhancement of the port’s berthing capabilities will increase its container handling capacity, reduce transport costs and turnaround times- the time required for loading and unloading of goods at the port, they said. The port authorities have completed all kinds of preparations including increasing the depth of the Karnaphuli River estuary and skills development training of the operators. According to the port authorities, vessels having only 9.5 metres draught and 195 metres length have been anchored at the port jetty since 2015. However, after receiving a positive response from the survey of UK-based consultancy firm 'HR Wallingford', the port took the initiative to handle larger vessels. The 10-metre draught ships will be able to carry 3,500 TEUs containers to the port and bring down the overall cargo handling costs. Chief Hydrographer of Chittagong port authority Commander Arifur Rahman, said in view of the report provided by the research institute, the large vessels' berthing trial run will begin on Sunday. "If it becomes successful in this trial operation, the port will soon notify local and global shipping companies to operate bigger vessels on this route. Later, we will allow berthing when big ships arrive, added the commander" Also Read: Freight operation from Ctg suspended as lighter vessel workers on strike With the development, Chattogram port will notify shipping companies for allowing ships with bigger draught on this route, said Khairul Alam Suzan, vice-president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association. Bigger ships will reduce the cost of import-export significantly and huge money will be saved annually, he said. Having the capacity to handle larger vessels  is essential for expanding trade, he said adding people involved sector and export-import trade have long been demanding an increase in the berthing capacity of the Chattogram port but the port authorities did not do it without a proper survey, he added.    

The Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) has called for setting up testing labs at the ports to ensure the faster delivery of imported goods and products and uninterrupted production. Products imported through Chattagram port are sent to the capital for testing, which takes weeks or months – delaying the delivery, increasing the cost of business, and disrupting production, FBCCI President Md Jashim Uddin said Wednesday at a meeting in Dhaka. Earlier, the members of the FBCCI Standing Committee on Port and Shipping said customs officials are "enthusiastic" to penalise importers for unintentional HS Code mistakes as they receive 15 percent incentives on the fines imposed. They called for the withdrawal of the incentives and suggested bringing the entire system online to make HS code entry of products easy and accurate. Also read: Economic zones can turn Bangladesh into global investment destination: FBCCI

A container ship with an 8-metre draught, the first of its size, docked at Mongla port Monday. The 186-metre long MCC Tokyo arrived from China's Shanghai. It moored at jetty No. 5 of the port with 289 containers, carrying goods weighing 7,241 metric tonnes, at 2:15pm, the Mongla Port Authority said. The unloading of the consignment from the ship started at 3:30pm.  "The ship will leave the port after reloading goods. It was a trial run showing that ships with 8-metre draughts can also anchor at the port," Syed Zahid Hossain, local shipping agent of MCC Tokyo and managing director of Sun Trade, said. The ship will leave the port for China Wednesday after reloading goods. "MV Tokyo was the first ship of its size to anchor at Mongla port. It has been possible due to dredging. Previously all the ships that anchored at the jetties did not have a draught of more than seven metres," Zahid said. Also read: Fourth Russian shipment for Rooppur arrives at Mongla Port

Export and import activities between Bangladesh and India remained suspended since  Thursday morning due to Janmashtami, a religious festival of the Hindu community. Abdul Jalil, deputy director of Benapole land port, said the trade activities between the two countries remained suspended since morning as there is a holiday on the both sides due to Janmashtami  celebration. The trade activities will resume on Saturday, he said. However, the immigration activities are going on as usual. Read: Export-import through Benapole land port halted