News Flash
KHULNA, June 03, 2025 (BSS) - Dredging operations are set to resume in the Pashur Channel of Mongla Port, the country's second-largest seaport, to restore and maintain navigability soon.
The initiative will enhance the port's capacity, allowing large domestic and foreign vessels to dock with ease and contribute to faster international trade through increased import and export activities.
The dredging project will be implemented under the supervision of the Bangladesh Navy at an estimated cost of Tk 1,538.19 crore, according to the Mongla Port Authority (MPA).
Officials said that the port has previously faced navigability challenges due to siltation in both its outer and inner bars. Inadequate depth hindered the entry of vessels with a draft of 9.5 metres, affecting the smooth flow of containerized cargo and discouraging trade.
In 2020, a Tk 712 crore project successfully dredged 14 kilometres of the outer bar, enabling vessels with a 9-metre draft to pass without difficulty.
Now, further development is planned, dredging 45 kilometres of a 145-kilometre navigation route, so that vessels with drafts up to 10 metres can access the jetty directly, sources said.
Talking to BSS, Md Makruzzaman, deputy director of MPA (Public Relation) said the process of dredging is underway to implement the project under the supervision of Bangladesh Navy.
"The project will begin very soon by fulfilling various steps," he said.
Zahirul Haque, Chief Planning Officer of the MPA, said, "This navigation channel is the lifeline of Mongla Port. We have undertaken a five-year major dredging project to maintain and enhance it, under the Navy's skilled supervision."
Chairman of the Mongla Port Authority, Rear Admiral Shahin Rahman, said the "Performance-Based Maintenance Dredging" project was approved by ECNEC on January 8, this year. It will involve the removal of 34.75 million cubic metres of silt from different points of the channel.
The project will allow the port to handle an additional 100 vessels with drafts of 9.5 to 10 metres per year at the jetty after completion of the project. It will also support the movement of 130 more vessels annually between the port and the Rampal Power Plant, he said.
Captain Dr Sheikh Faridul Islam, a regular user of the port, emphasized the importance of uninterrupted dredging. "This is essential for sustaining the port's momentum. Once completed, the project will not only boost capacity but also attract more investment and trade activity linked to Mongla Port," he added.
