CHATTOGRAM: Information Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud yesterday put special emphasis on increasing the capacity of Chattogram Port, the country’s premier seaport, by keeping pace with the national economic growth.

“The overall development of Chattogram Port is crucial to move the country forward . . . Development of the port is not only related to overall development of the country, it is also related to development of the entire region,” he said.

The minister was addressing the first meeting of the Chattogram Port advisory committee at the training institute of port with committee President and State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury in the chair.

Dr Hasan said Bangabandhu’s daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina sincerely wants development of the port. Construction of Patenga Container Terminal and Bay Terminal are going on in full swing as first track projects of the government, he added.

Dr Hasan said once 50 to 100 vessels were seen in the outer anchorage of the port but the number of vessels in the port declined as the congestion of container laden vessels came down remarkably.

He urged all stakeholders including port users, different workers organizations, officials and employees of the port to work in unison for the development of the port.

Khalid Mahmud said, “Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman gave us the national identity. But, Zia, Ershad and Khaleda Zia were involved in conspiracies to erase the identity. Even the Chattogram port was not out of this plot.”

Terming the role of Chattogram port as important for vibrant economic growth of the country, the state minister said the port is now ranked as the 64th busiest among 100 container handling ports.

“The present government has been striving to be among the top 50 busiest ports in the world,” he added.

Jatiya Sangsad Whip Shamsul Haque Chowdhury, Mustafizur Rahman, MP, Nazrul Islam, MP, Washika Ayesika Khan, MP, Chattogram City Corporation Mayor AJM Nasir Uddin, Chattogram Customs Commissioner Mohammad Fakrul Alam, Chairman of CPA Rear Admiral Julfiqur Aziz, Chattogram Development Authority Chairman Jahirul Alam Dobas, President of Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industries (CCCI) Mhabubul Alam, CCCI vice President Tarafdar Mohammad Ruhul Amin, Awami League leaders Muslem Uddin Ahmed and MA Salam, among others, were present in the meeting.

The last advisory committee meeting of the CPA was held on December 10 in 2017.