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Deep sea port in doldrums

Little progress seen two years into feasibility study

M Abul Kalam Azad
The future of the deep sea port is in doubt as the government is very slow in doing the tasks suggested in a feasibility study two years ago.
The Techno-Economic Feasibility Study, submitted to the shipping ministry in July 2009, recommended setting up a deep sea port authority.
After a two-year delay, the ministry made decided to form the body at a meetingyesterday.
Another recommendation was to enact the proposed Deep Sea Port Act, which is pending with the finance ministry. Yesterday's meeting requested the minis-
try to immediately send the draft law to shipping ministry with opinions.
The only progress made regarding the proposed deep sea port at Sonadia Island in the Bay of Bengal was formation of a cell in August 2010.
The cell is responsible for quickly exe-cutingthe port related decisions.
The three-year study outlined a three-phase construction plan and assessed huge financial potential. It also chalked out how the port can be built under public-private partnership.
The first phase of the construction is supposed to start at the end of this year
and complete by 2015 at a cost of Tk 13,000 crore. As per the study, the port can go into operation in 2016 if the suggested work is done in time.
The second phase should be completed in 2035 at a cost of Tk 26,000 crore and made a full-fledged international port with the completion of the final phase by 2055 spending Tk 1,100 crore.
Construction of the port is supposed to begin after drawing of its design, but the government is yet to select a design consultant. Seven firms, however, were shortlisted forthejob.
The then shipping minister Afsarul Amin told journalists in 2009 that it might take them a year to have a complete design.
Shipping ministry officials said nobody can say when the construction will start.
“Everything is outlined in the study, but the progress is very disappointing,” KM Ahmed, director of deep sea port project, told The Daily Star.
“The deep sea port will have a positive impact on the economy since the study estimated about two percent GDP growth," KM Ahmed added.
If constructed, the port will generate massive employment and earning opportunities. It will also boost export and import and massively increase the country's capacity to handle cargo.
The carrying cost of both incoming and outgoing goods will come down significantly as the port will become a regional hub handling a massive traffic.
According to the feasibility study, a total of 16 con-
tainer berths, including nine international ones will be constructed in the fist phase.
There is no alternative to a deep sea port as capacity of the Chittagong Port, largest in the country, will totally be exhausted by 2015.
“The Chittagong port is already facing problem with large ships,” said KM Ahmed, adding Bangladesh will face serious problem without a deep sea port once transit is allowed to India, Nepal and Bhutan.
“The major problem will be that the government will have to update the feasibility study due to the delay,” said a senior official of the shipping ministry, adding many of the data has already become obsolete.
The feasibility study prepared at a cost of $4 million. Experts say the entire money might be wasted as the government failed to move with the deep sea port project.
Asked, Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan said there may be delay in the government's activities. He said the deep sea port authority will be formed after enactment of the law, which is also a critical task.
“We decided to expedite all the procedures at yesterday's meeting,” he told The Daily star.
Bangladesh has sought assistance from various donors, including Japan and China to build the port.
A Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) team visited Bangladesh in May and talked to the concerned officials and it showed interest to be a co-financer.
Also, a Chinese delegation visited in May and showed interest to finance the port construction.