[🇧🇩] Sea Ports/Air Ports/River Ports/Bridges/Mega Projects

Date of Event: Feb 12, 2025

Source: https://www.thedailystar.net/business/economy/industries/ports-and-shipping/news/management-the-port-enters-new-era-3572886

[h3]

Management of the port enters new era​

[/h3]

In December, a historic deal marked the start of a new era for port management across the country as Bangladesh welcomed its first foreign port operator.

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) signed a deal with a Saudi firm, permitting it to maintain, equip and operate the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) for 22 years.
In exchange, Red Sea Gateway Terminal International (RSGTI) pledged to invest around $170 million to install heavy container handling equipment at the terminal.

This signalled a shift away from the traditional system of management for ports in the country, paving the way for raising efficiency.

Over the years, significant investments have been made to modernise the facilities at the Chattogram Port, which serves as a gateway for 90 percent of Bangladesh's import and export activities. These included the construction of new terminals, dredging of navigational channels, and implementation of smart services.

But the burden for these tasks, from overseeing development work to securing funds, has always fallen on the shoulders of the CPA. This is because the port had always followed the 'tool port' model, under which the port authority owns, develops, and maintains infrastructures as well as cargo handling equipment.

The system is different from those that have been put in place in neighbouring nations like India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka. These countries switched to the "landlord port" model in the late 1990s to bolster productivity and efficiency.

Under the landlord port model, the port authority – which still maintains the ownership of the land – acts as a regulatory body while port operations, especially cargo handling, are carried out by private companies.

In a strategic masterplan chalked out by three foreign firms for the CPA, the transformation to a landlord port model was recommended. A transition to a landlord port model will be in line with the best practices worldwide and it is expected to deliver significant improvements in port performance.

In a show of its commitment to the new management system, CPA Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail said two of the three proposed terminals at the Bay Terminal of the Chattogram Port would also be managed under the landlord port model.

The government has already selected global giants in port operations -- PSA Singapore and DP World of the United Arab Emirates -- to construct and operate two terminals.

The shift to the new management model has opened the door for the significant investments that are being made.

In August, the CPA chairman said he believed there was potential to attract $5 billion to $7 billion in foreign direct investments over the next three years.

Just a week later, Danish shipping giant AP Moller Maersk expressed interest in investing between $300 and $400 million to construct the Laldia Container Terminal under a build-operate-transfer project.

The landlord port model encourages efficiency and innovation stemming from competition among private operators, leading to improved productivity and service quality. It is hope that increased investment will lead to such gains alongside increased employment and adoption of modern technologies.

The only thing that remains to be seen is how quickly the system can be implemented to make the most of the benefits it offers.​

 

[Saif]

Advanced 5G network inaugurated at Ctg Port

The Chittagong Port has achieved a new milestone in ensuring uninterrupted and high-speed communication system with the aim of developing modern and technology-based port management.

www.newagebd.net

Advanced 5G network inaugurated at Ctg Port
Staff Correspondent 13 January, 2026, 01:42

The state-of-the-art 5G network installed by Axentec PLC is inaugurated at the Chittagong Port in Chattogram on Monday. | Press release photo

The Chittagong Port has achieved a new milestone in ensuring uninterrupted and high-speed communication system with the aim of developing modern and technology-based port management.

The state-of-the-art 5G network installed by Axentec PLC was inaugurated at the port in Chattogram on Monday to make the digital activities of the port more dynamic, safe and effective, said a press release.


At the ceremony, the chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority, Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman, was present as chief guest and announced the inauguration of the 5G network.

The speakers present at the ceremony expressed their views that the launch of this 5G network will play an important role in the automation of the port, information exchange, security monitoring and implementation of the future smart port.

Chittagong Port Authority expresses hope that the 5G network will activate the technological capabilities in port operations.​

 

[Saif]

Revenue control pushes Chittagong Port’s profit to 5-year high

Chittagong Port has recorded a net profit of Tk 31.43 billion in 2025, the highest in the past five years. Non-VAT and tax revenues contributed Tk 18.05 billion to the government treasury, also a five-year high. Port Administration Director Md Omar Faruk said, “Since 2021, revenue has g

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Revenue control pushes Chittagong Port’s profit to 5-year high
bdnews24.com

Published :

Jan 17, 2026 00:48
Updated :

Jan 17, 2026 00:48
Share this news


FE
For all latest news, follow The Financial Express Google News channel.
Chittagong Port has recorded a net profit of Tk 31.43 billion in 2025, the highest in the past five years.

Non-VAT and tax revenues contributed Tk 18.05 billion to the government treasury, also a five-year high.

Port Administration Director Md Omar Faruk said, “Since 2021, revenue has grown continuously. By maintaining service quality while cutting unnecessary spending, surpluses have risen from 2024. As a result, the 2025 surplus surpassed the previous five-year record.”

According to port data, total income in 2025 reached Tk 54.60 billion, while expenditures amounted to Tk 23.18 billion, yielding the profit.

Revenue growth has been accompanied by controlled expenditure. From 2021 to 2025, the port’s revenue grew at an average annual rate of 13.08 percent, while expenses increased by 7.59 percent per year. Profit growth averaged 18.42 percent annually.

Md Omar Faruk added that strict adherence to the policy of avoiding unnecessary spending has kept expenditure growth in single digits over the past two years.

Over five years, the port has deposited a total of Tk 75.80 billion into the state treasury, including VAT, taxes, and non-tax revenue.

In 2025 alone, Tk 18.05 billion was remitted, up 5.41 percent from 2024. The cumulative five-year deposits include Tk 35.53 billion in taxes, Tk 34.27 billion in VAT, and Tk 6 billion in non-tax revenue.

Chittagong Port Revenue and Expenditure (2021–2025):



Year Earnings Spendings Profits

2021 Tk 33.62 billion Tk 17.28 billion Tk 16.33 billion

2022 Tk 35.69 billion Tk 18.35 billion Tk 17.34 billion

2023 Tk 41.65 billion Tk 20.22 billion Tk 21.43 billion

2024 Tk 50.77 billion Tk 21.54 billion Tk 29.23 billion

2025 Tk 54.60 billion Tk 23.18 billion Tk 31.43 billion

​

 

[Saif]

Pangaon terminal commences operations under MEDLOG Bangladesh

The Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT) at West Keraniganj in Dhaka district has commenced operation under the management of MEDLOG Bangladesh Private Ltd. The operation was formally inaugurated on Saturday on the premises of the terminal, a strategically located facility near the capital, wi

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Pangaon terminal commences operations under MEDLOG Bangladesh

FE ONLINE DESK
Published :
Jan 17, 2026 19:52
Updated :
Jan 17, 2026 19:52

The Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT) at West Keraniganj in Dhaka district has commenced operation under the management of MEDLOG Bangladesh Private Ltd.

The operation was formally inaugurated on Saturday on the premises of the terminal, a strategically located facility near the capital, with the aim of enhancing inland container movement and strengthening multimodal connectivity, accordign to a press statement.

MEDLOG Bangladesh Private Ltd, a concern of Switzerland-based global leader in inland logistics MEDLOG, will operate, manage and modernise the terminal in partnership with the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) under a 22-year concession agreement signed two months ago.

Brigadier General (Retd) Dr M Sakhawat Hussain, Shipping Adviser, attended the program as the chief guest. Dr Nurun Nahar Chowdhury, Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping, and Rear Admiral M Moniruzzaman, Chairman of the Chittagong Port Authority, were present as the special guests.

A. T. M. Anisul Millat, Managing Director of MEDLOG Bangladesh Private Ltd, delivered the welcome speech, outlining the vision and operational roadmap of the terminal under MEDLOG’s management.

The government bestowed the operation and management of the container terminal on MEDLOG as the facility was sustaining losses. Built at a cost of around Tk 1.55 billion, the terminal had accumulated significant operational losses over the past decade.

The concession agreement is expected to reverse that trend and facilitate government’s earning of huge revenue by introducing global best practices, advanced technology and efficient operational management.​

 

[Saif]

Padma Bridge draws Tk 30.0 billion as toll since 2022 opening

The government has collected so far Tk 30.0 billion as revenue from the users of the Padma Bridge since its June 25, 2022 opening, Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) said in a statement today. It said the bridge that connected 21 southwestern districts with the rest of the country was increasingly

thefinancialexpress.com.bd

Padma Bridge draws Tk 30.0 billion as toll since 2022 opening

BSS
Published :
Jan 20, 2026 20:41
Updated :
Jan 20, 2026 20:43

The government has collected so far Tk 30.0 billion as revenue from the users of the Padma Bridge since its June 25, 2022 opening, Bangladesh Bridge Authority (BBA) said in a statement today.

It said the bridge that connected 21 southwestern districts with the rest of the country was increasingly drawing various types of motorized traffic to fatten the government exchequer.

“The Padma Bridge is not just an infrastructure. It is the lifeblood of our economy,” the statement read.

It said the state-of-the-art electronic toll collection (ETC) system was installed at both ends of the Padma Bridge at Mawa and Jajira points, which accelerated the toll collection process without long queues at the toll plaza.

“The automatic toll collection through Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) cards has made travel faster and easier,” the statement said.

It said Road Transport and Bridges Ministry Adviser Muhammad Fouzul Kabir Khan, Secretary of the Bridge Division Mohammad Abdur Rouf, who is also BBA’s executive director, and concerned officials were continuously monitoring the entire process.

The statement said alongside saving travel time the bridge created employment as well to play a positive impact on the growth of the country's gross domestic product (GDP) facilitating the agriculture, fisheries & livestock and industries.​

 

[Saif]

Why Chattogram port needs a coherent land-use strategy

For more than three decades, one critical weakness has quietly shaped the development of Chattogram Port Authority (CPA): the absence of a comprehensive and transparent land-use plan.

www.thedailystar.net

Why Chattogram port needs a coherent land-use strategy

By Ahamedul Karim Chowdhury

‘Once waterfront land is misallocated, reclaiming it becomes legally, politically, and financially difficult.’ FILE PHOTO: RAJIB RAIHAN

For more than three decades, one critical weakness has quietly shaped the development of Chattogram Port Authority (CPA): the absence of a comprehensive and transparent land-use plan. This is not a minor administrative lapse. It is a strategic failure that has persisted across governments and reform agendas, and it now threatens Bangladesh’s ambition to develop Chattogram as a competitive regional port.


As the Bay Terminal project moves forward and international operators prepare to play a greater role in Bangladesh’s port sector, the consequences of this long-standing omission are becoming increasingly evident. Decisions involving some of the country’s most valuable land assets are being taken without a publicly articulated framework explaining how port land is prioritised, what uses are preferred, or how present choices serve long-term national interests. In a modern port system, land use determines capacity, efficiency, and future growth.

During the 1990s, as containerisation in global trade expanded, and throughout the 2000s, as shipping and logistics became increasingly integrated and time-sensitive, Bangladesh failed to establish a guiding spatial vision for its principal port. Prime waterfront parcels—scarce and irreplaceable assets—were leased for long periods without competitive tendering or strategic reassessment. Facilities that could have evolved into customs-bonded logistics zones or export-supporting clusters instead became general-purpose rental spaces, renewed routinely and rarely reviewed against changing trade patterns.

These decisions shape the choices facing the CPA today. The ongoing discussion surrounding the Laldia area illustrates this challenge. Laldia is a vacant waterfront site that the CPA has considered for a greenfield concession involving a global operator. Engaging reputable international firms is not, in itself, problematic. Bangladesh needs foreign expertise and capital to expand port capacity and modernise operations.

The concern lies elsewhere: there is no publicly available land-use framework explaining why this specific parcel is being considered, how it fits into a wider spatial plan, or what alternative uses were evaluated. Without such clarity, debate becomes project-specific rather than strategic, and institutional credibility suffers. This is not how major ports communicate decisions involving nationally strategic assets.

Past land allocations highlight the cost of operating without a plan. Some non-waterfront areas—such as the old X and Y shed zones—were at least partially aligned with off-dock or support functions. At the same time, prime waterfront locations with direct channel access were also used for similar purposes. What planning logic differentiated between these parcels? Why were waterfront and non-waterfront lands treated as interchangeable?

In any world-class port, proximity to the water defines land value and purpose. Using waterfront land for activities that could be located several kilometres inland is not merely inefficient; it permanently erodes strategic potential. Once such land is misallocated, reclaiming it becomes legally, politically, and financially difficult.

Globally, major port authorities—from Singapore to Rotterdam—anchor land decisions in long-term masterplans, updated regularly to reflect changing economic realities. By contrast, Bangladesh has largely operated on a piecemeal basis, an approach ill-suited to a country aspiring to middle-income status and deeper integration into global supply chains.

To be fair, the CPA has shown that when transparent processes are followed, outcomes improve dramatically. The Sadarghat Lighterage Jetty is a case in point. After lying unused for years, it was finally allocated through a structured, competitive tender. The facility is now operational, supporting lighterage activities and generating revenue. This example demonstrates that reform is not theoretical. Where clarity and competition replace informality, the port benefits, and public interests are served.

However, isolated successes cannot compensate for the broader absence of a coherent land-use strategy. Without a masterplan, the CPA faces three serious risks.

First, strategic waterfront assets are being fragmented and gradually lost to suboptimal uses. Once committed under long-term leases, these parcels are extremely difficult to recover without costly disputes and compensation. Bangladesh risks trading the “front porch” of its economy for short-term convenience.

Second, the lack of planning weakens Bangladesh’s position with foreign investors. Global terminal operators make long-term commitments based on clarity, expansion potential, and regulatory predictability. When these elements are unclear, investors price in institutional risk, and the country risks receiving weaker proposals than its assets deserve.

Third, unplanned land use undermines the competitiveness of the entire port ecosystem. Without designated logistics zones, customs-controlled areas, and value-added clusters, Chattogram cannot match the efficiency of regional competitors such as Colombo or Chennai, let alone emerging hubs in Southeast Asia.

This is not an argument against foreign participation. On the contrary, international operators are essential to Bangladesh’s maritime development. But foreign partnerships must operate within a clear planning framework that prioritises long-term value over short-term expediency. Without such a framework, even well-intentioned collaborations may fall short of their potential.

What is needed now is a structured, forward-looking approach to port land management. The CPA should develop a professional, publicly accessible land-use masterplan that identifies all port land, classifies it by strategic function, and outlines intended uses over the coming decades. This process should involve consultation with port users, shipping lines, logistics providers, customs authorities, and exporters to ensure that the plan reflects operational realities as well as policy goals.

In parallel, existing land leases, particularly long-standing ones, should be reviewed to establish a transparent pathway toward competitive, value-based allocation as contracts expire. Waterfront land must be reserved for activities that genuinely require maritime access, while non-waterfront areas can be better utilised for logistics, warehousing, and export support.

The Bay Terminal project offers Bangladesh a major opportunity to strengthen its position in regional supply chains. But new terminal capacity alone will not deliver the intended benefits if surrounding land use remains unplanned. A modern terminal cannot compensate for an under-structured hinterland.

Bangladesh’s port sector now operates in a far more competitive environment than it did three decades ago. Expectations of transparency are higher, competition is more intense, and strategic missteps carry greater cost. This makes disciplined land-use planning essential. Before further long-term land concessions are finalised, a clear and credible land-use framework must be put in place. This will shape Chattogram Port’s role in Bangladesh’s development for decades to come.

Ahamedul Karim Chowdhury is adjunct faculty at Bangladesh Maritime University and former head of the Kamalapur Inland Container Depot (ICD) and the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal under Chittagong Port Authority.​