Construction of a ferry ghat and connecting road in a location between two LGP plants in Mongla port industrial area may create major risks for the two sensitive establishments.
Such concern was expressed by the two largest private operators of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) – Omera LPG and Jamuna LPG which opposed the construction of the road and the Laudoba ferry ghat in between their plants in Mongla port area.
They also requested the authorities concerned to build the road and ferry ghat at any alternative location so that movement of the foreign LPG carriers to their plants is not obstructed.
The LPG operators claimed that the Roads and Highways Department is constructing the road by violating the land policy of the Mongla Port Authority (MPA).
They alleged that such construction may lead to a risk of serious accidents in the navigation of Mongla port and also the two LPG plants set up on both sides of the road.
The MPA is also not happy to see this road being built through the industrial area of the port by creating obstacles to the Pashur channel.
Both Jamuna and Omera LPG plant authorities have lodged complaints with various departments including the MPA, opposing the construction of this road to avoid the risk of accidents.
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The Roads and Highways Department undertook the project to construct the road and ferry ghat at a cost of Tk 1.90 crore to facilitate the movement of the local people from Dakop upazila to Khulna.
Receiving the complaints, initially, the MPA blocked the construction work. But later, the construction work resumed following a verbal permission from the Ministry of Shipping.
Meanwhile, President of LPG Operators Association of Bangladesh (LOAB) and owner of Omera Petroleum Azam J Chowdhury met the chairman of the port authority, Rear Admiral M Musa, and requested him through a letter not to allow the construction of the proposed road and ferry ghat between Omera and Jamuna LPG plants in the port industrial area.
Officials of the Mongla Port Authority said that they have not given any permission for the construction of the structures through the port industrial area in Bagerhat.
They said if the proposed road and ferry ghat are constructed, the navigation system of the Pashur River channel of the port will be under threat and the navigability there will be reduced.