Development of deep sea port in Matarbari and modern container ships, cargo ships and oil tankers will be created at the jetty. It will bring revolutionary changes in the overall economy of the country. The new deep sea port will be a milestone on the way to become a developed country.
Matarbari Port Development Project Director (Joint Secretary) Mir Zahid Hasan approved the committee on Monday.
Deep sea port under construction next to the sea at Matarbari of Maheshkhali upazila of Cox's Bazar. Chattogram Port Authority has made a 6-member environmental management committee to sustain the development activities of this sea port under construction without harming the environment.
Md. Shihab Uddin of engineering simulation and scientific software department of Matarbari port development project has been convened in the committee. Christian Commission for Development in Bangladesh area manager Abu Mohammad Elias is the member secretary and Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited (CPGCBL) assistant manager (EST) Rashedul Bari, natural environment expert Kenji Igarashi, social environment expert Naoko Katashima and a contractor representative are also members.
Its mentioned that the committee will check the impact on the surrounding land, noise intensity level, change in air quality, socio-economic conditions etc. during the construction activities. Moreover, the members will check various issues including water usage, water quality, sand or soil and waste materials.
Chattogram Port Authority will implement the construction work of the port in Matarbari and Dhalghat areas under the funding of Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and under the Ministry of Shipping. The first phase of the port will be completed by December 2026. The cost of the Matarbari port development project has been estimated at 17 thousand 777 crores. JICA's loan is Tk 12 thousand 892 crores, Chattogram Port Authority's own fund is Tk 2 thousand 213 crores and Bangladesh government's allocation is Tk 2 thousand 671 crores.
Project Director (Joint Secretary) of Matarbari Port Development Project Mir Zahid Hasan said that the government has undertaken the 'Matarbari Port Development' campaign with the aim of reducing excess pressure on Chattogram Port and handling a large number of ships and containers. It will allow container ships with a depth of 16 meters and a capacity of 8000 TEU's (20 feet long containers) to enter.
A six-member committee has been constituted to verify the environmental and social benefits of the project. They will verify all aspects and issue environmental clearance. The port will facilitate the import of coal, liquid natural gas (LNG), crude oil and oil-like products, cement, clinker, fertiliser, food, steel and scrap iron.
