Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) will construct a con tainer terminal using the port’s own resources to facilitate container handling, reports UNB.

This was deddetj at an in ter-ministerial meeting at the Ministry of Shipping yesterday.

Adviser for Snipping. Communications. Civil Aviation and Tourism. Post and Telecommunications and Housing and Public Works Syed Manzur Ela hi presided over the meeting.

Shipping Secretary Anwarul Islam. Planning Commission Member Dr Mahiuddin Khan

Alamglr and CPA Chairman Captain Zahiruddin Mahmood attended the meeting among others.

The container terminal will be constructed al the New Mooring area of the port to handle about one and a half lakh TEUs (20 feet equivalent uiut) container per year.

The meeting was informed that CPA handled 2.27.000 TEUs container during the 1994 95 fiscal and it is expected that the number of container to be handled in the port will surpass 2.5 lakh TEUs during the current fiscal year

There has been 19 per cent increase in container handling in the port on average every year over the last 10 years.

The meeting laid emphasis on constructing the terminal as soon as possible to cope with the increasing pressure of import and export

The adviser said at the meeting that there is no alter native to enhancing container handling facilities to help pry mole the country's external trade.

He asked the officials to take immediate steps for constructing* the container terminal.