Bangladesh is turning to global port operators and foreign investment to shake up the management of the country's principal Chattogram seaport, a minister said on Thursday.
Speaking at an event in
Chattogram city, some 242 km southeast of the capital, Dhaka, Bangladeshi
Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam said the country can no longer afford to
leave its maritime potential underused.
According to the
minister, major economic hubs are emerging around the seaport in the Chattogram
region situated at the apex of the Bay of Bengal, but he warned that poor
services and inefficiency could undermine the entire effort.
Bangladesh's Chattogram
seaport is the national gateway and handles over 90 percent of Bangladesh's
exports and imports and about 98 percent of the South Asian country's container
traffic.
He said the government has opened the way for foreign companies with expertise in container handling and port operations to help the port overcome its "existing state of stagnation."
Some global companies
have already established operations in Bangladesh, while others are in the
process of doing so, said the minister.
"We want to increase container loading and unloading capacity and compete with the major ports in the developed world," he said.
Bangladesh wants to
upgrade Chattogram (Chittagong) Port for three main reasons: economic growth,
regional connectivity, and geopolitical relevance.
1. As Bangladesh's
economy and exports, particularly garments, continue to grow, existing
facilities are facing congestion and capacity constraints. The government wants
deeper channels, larger terminals, and modern cargo-handling systems to
accommodate bigger ships and more containers.
2. To reduce logistics
costs and delays Bangladesh's exporters often complain about port congestion,
lengthy vessel turnaround times, and higher shipping costs. Modernization is
aimed at speeding up loading and unloading operations, reducing bottlenecks,
and improving competitiveness against regional rivals such as Vietnam and
India.
3. To become a regional
Bay of Bengal hub Dhaka envisions Chattogram becoming a gateway not only for
Bangladesh but also for neighboring countries and regional trade routes. The
port's location near India's northeast, Myanmar, and major Indian Ocean shipping
lanes gives it strategic value.
4. To attract foreign
investment Bangladesh has recently invited foreign operators and investors to
participate in port management and expansion projects. The goal is to bring in
international expertise, improve efficiency, and integrate the port into global
supply chains.
How can Pakistan benefit?
1. Direct maritime trade
opportunities
Pakistan and Bangladesh
have been steadily warming relations after years of limited engagement. A more
efficient Chattogram port could facilitate direct shipping routes between
Karachi, Port Qasim, and Bangladesh, reducing transit times and costs for bilateral
trade.
Pakistan could increase exports of: Rice, cotton and yarn, textiles, pharmaceuticals, surgical instruments and agricultural products, while importing Bangladeshi garments, jute products, and consumer goods more efficiently.
2. Access to a growing
market
Bangladesh is one of
South Asia's fastest-growing economies, with a population of over 170 million.
Improved port infrastructure means easier market access for Pakistani exporters
seeking to diversify beyond traditional destinations.
3. Greater regional
connectivity
If Chattogram develops
into a major Bay of Bengal logistics hub, Pakistani shipping companies and
exporters could use it as a gateway to Southeast Asia.
4. Lessons for Pakistani
ports
Bangladesh's focus on
automation, foreign operators, deep-water facilities, and logistics reforms
provides a model that Pakistani policymakers could study for Karachi, Port
Qasim, and Gwadar. Improved competition among regional ports may also encourage
reforms in Pakistan's maritime sector.
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