Govt’s Push to Develop Mongla Seaport and Bhomra Land Port Drives Economic transformation, Positions Southwest Bangladesh as a Trade Hub
Abu Hena Mukti
The two main driving forces, Mongla Sea Port and Bhomra Land Port, are now building an unmatched economic revolution and a trade hub in the southwest. Since the Padma Bridge opened, both ports have direct and fast links with Dhaka and other parts of the country. This has greatly sped up industrial growth and international trade in the region. With the government’s steady development work and the growing interest of traders, these two ports now give a ray of hope.
Sources say Mongla Port, the second largest sea port in the country, has greatly increased its capacity. Work on two new modern jetties, costing Tk 800 crore, is moving fast, and it will raise cargo handling power by a large margin. After dredging of the Pasur Channel and the inner bar, big ships with deep drafts can now berth directly at the jetties. A total of 69 navigation buoys have been placed to help foreign ships move. About 55% of reconditioned cars imported into Bangladesh are now cleared through Mongla Port.
A new container terminal is also being built under a public private partnership. The importance of Mongla Port has grown many times since the Padma Bridge opened. Earlier, traders turned to Chattogram because Mongla was far from Dhaka and took more time to reach. Now, thanks to the Padma Bridge, the trip from Dhaka to Mongla takes only 3 to 3.5 hours.
According to the port authority, the number of ships arriving at Mongla Port rose by 30 percent in the last fiscal year. Container handling rose by about 45%. The port now runs eight jetties, 12 hangar sheds and a modern container yard. The government has taken up a project to dredge the Pasur Channel and raise its depth from 8.5 meters to 10 meters. When it is done, big ships will be able to berth directly.
Mr. Sheikh Abdul Jabbar, a trader who uses Mongla Port, said that clearing a good takes 10 to 12 days in Chattogram, but only 3 to 4 days in Mongla. He said the cost is also 30% lower. He said the roads are good now, so everyone is turning to Mongla.
On the other hand, Bhomra Land Port in Satkhira is the heart of India and Bangladesh trade. It is the closest port to Kolkata in India’s West Bengal, so it is the first choice of importers and one of the main gateways. Because the distance to Kolkata is short, importing raw materials through Bhomra saves a lot of time and transport cost. It is the main route for importing stone, onion, spices, raw materials, fruit, chemicals and many industrial raw materials for the growing factories of the southwest.
The Bhomra Land Port authority says about 350 to 400 trucks of goods are now imported and exported through this port every day. The port earned about Tk 2,500 crore in revenue last year. It now has a modern warehouse, weighing scales and an online system for fast customs clearance. The president of the Bhomra Importers and Exporters Association said Bhomra is only 70 kilometers from Kolkata. He said that if a full economic zone and cold storage can be built here, the demand of the whole country could be met from this region.
Meanwhile, since the Padma Bridge opened, the distance of Mongla and Bhomra from Dhaka and other parts of the country has come down by several hours. A six lane road system is also being added. Through rail links, Mongla Port is now directly connected to the main rail network of the country. Eight routes have been set for using Mongla Port as a transit route to carry goods to India’s landlocked northeastern states, such as Tripura, Assam and Meghalaya. This has added a new dimension to international trade.
Around these two ports, many jobs are being created in the southwest, especially in Khulna, Bagerhat, Satkhira and Jashore. New cement factories, jute industries and export oriented shrimp processing plants are coming up in and around Mongla EPZ. Lakhs of people are finding work in local trade, logistics and service sectors such as hotels and restaurants.
Economist Professor Dr. Md. Anwarul Kadir said that if the two ports, Mongla by sea and Bhomra by land, run together, greater Khulna will become the second commercial capital of Bangladesh. He said this will create jobs for lakhs of people and cut poverty in the region a great deal. He said the joint progress of the two ports has not only revived the neglected economy of the southwest. It has also added a new dimension to the overall GDP growth of Bangladesh.
