United News of Bangladesh

The Matarbari Deep Sea Port will open up a new horizon for international trade and serve as a strategic investment for Bangladesh’s future said Adviser to the ministries of shipping and labour and employment Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hossain on Tuesday. "This is not merely an infrastructure project—it is a cornerstone for the country's long-term economic ambitions," he said while addressing a contract signing ceremony in the capital for the development of the Matarbari Port under Chattogram Port Authority (CPA), funded by JICA and CPA. Once operational, the Matarbari Port will significantly boost the country's cargo handling capacity by accommodating large vessels of up to 100,000 DWT, ease congestion at existing ports, enhance supply chain efficiency, and ensure direct access to the emerging industrial zones in Cox’s Bazar and Maheshkhali, he said. Prof Yunus, Qatar’s Energy Minister explore energy sector collaboration Sakhawat also noted that the port is expected to help transform Bangladesh into a key energy and trans-shipment hub in the region. Under Package 1 of the project, construction includes a 300-metre-long multi-purpose berth (for vessels up to 200m), a 460-metre container berth (for ships up to 350m), along with terminal buildings, pavements, retaining walls, sea walls, boundary walls, land development, dredging, land reclamation, emergency generators, solar power facilities, terminal utilities, and other ancillary civil and electrical works. The terminal yard will feature around 5,100 ground slots for storing containers. With a 14.5-metre draft and the ability to berth container vessels of 300 metres in length and up to 8,200 TEUs, the port is projected to handle between 0.6 and 1.1 million TEUs annually by 2029, rising to an estimated 2.2 to 2.6 million TEUs by 2041. Highlighting Japan’s support in the project, the adviser said, “The cooperation from the Government of Japan and JICA has been instrumental in turning the Matarbari vision into reality. Their technical expertise, financing, and capacity development contributions are deeply appreciated.” The agreement was signed between Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman, chairman of Chattogram Port Authority, and Tomokazu Hasegawa, General Manager of Penta-Ocean Construction Co Ltd.

The government has warned garment factory owners to clear workers' salaries by March 27 or face strict measures, including a travel ban, said Adviser Brigadier General (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain on Tuesday. “Legal action will be taken against those who fail to pay wages within the stipulated time,” Sakhawat said at a press briefing at the Secretariat. Criticising some factory owners, he said, “Many of them spend on luxury cars, Eid shopping and overseas trips while their workers struggle to receive wages in time. This is unacceptable.” He urged workers to raise their concerns, assuring them that authorities would take action against any unjust demands from employers. Sakhawat also revealed that 12 factories are facing various financial issues, with five of them having significant outstanding dues. “We are in discussions with them to resolve these matters,” he added. Stern action will be taken against those instigating anti-state activities: Home Adviser When asked about possible travel restrictions for factory owners, he said, “We will review payments after March 27 before making a decision on travel bans.” The announcement comes amid growing concerns over wage delays in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector, which employs millions of workers and remains a key driver of Bangladesh’s economy.

Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Sakhawat Hossain said on Tuesday that an adequate amount of daily essentials had been imported, eliminating the risk of any short supply. Speaking after a cheque handover ceremony at the Secretariat, the adviser said there were no disruptions in the supply of essential goods despite some ongoing issues with edible oil. Army chief weighs words carefully: Adviser Sakhawat In response to a question from the press, the adviser said adequate measures had been taken to maintain the steady flow of imports, preventing any supply gaps in the market. He added that importers who fail to collect goods from the port within the specified timeframe would be subjected to a threefold fine as part of efforts to maintain the smooth operation of the supply chain. Earlier, he participated in a cheque handover ceremony for the families of six workers who lost their lives in the December accident involving the MV Al-Bakhira cargo vessel in the Meghna River at Haimchar, Chandpur. 27,000 Beximco workers’ dues will be settled before Ramadan: Adviser Sakhawat The Labour Welfare Foundation provided Tk 2 lakh, while Noyapara Group, an importing company, contributed Tk 3 lakh to the victims' families.

Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) Dr. M Sakhawat Hossain has said that the situation in the hill areas must be addressed with government support through discussions, after identifying the root causes. “Bandarban is an area of peace and harmony. The sudden surge in terrorist activities here has caused distress among everyone,” he told reporters after visiting a Buddhist orphanage in Bandarban town on Friday. Highlighting the importance of involving experienced individuals to restore peace and harmony in the region, the adviser said, “It’s time for everyone to come together and solve the issue.” The adviser also mentioned that the government is considering establishing a land port at Ghumdhum in Teknaf to enhance trade with Myanmar. Govt considering land port at Teknaf’s Ghumdhum: Shipping Adviser After the programme, the adviser planted trees at the Buddhist orphanage. Army’s Bandarban Region Commander Brigadier General Rakib Ibne Rezwan, Joint Secretary of the Ministry of Labor ASM Ashraful Islam, Zilla Parishad Chairman Professor Thanjama Lusai, Deputy Commissioner Shamim Ara Rini, and Superintendent of Police Md. Shahidullah Kawsar were also present.

The arrears of Beximco workers will be paid by February, after selling the mortgaged shares of the Beximco Pharma and Shinepukur Ceramics, said Labour and Employment Adviser Brig. Gen (retd) Dr Sakhawat Hossain on Tuesday. The adviser came up with the announcement at a press conference held at the Secretariat in Dhaka. Earlier, he attended a meeting of the Advisory Council Committee to review the labour and business situation of Beximco Industrial Park. Sakhawat said Tk 550 to 600 crore would be needed to pay the arrears of the workers of all lay-off organizations of the Beximco. “The government will pay the salaries and allowances by February once this amount isn’t managed by selling the shares,” he said. Read: Beximco’s closed factory won’t reopen: Adviser Sakhawat The adviser said the Beximco group took Tk 28544.14 crore from 12 banks as loans and it would be investigated how the loans were approved. It is a bigger scam (loan) than theft of one billion reserves from Bangladesh Bank, he thinks.

Adviser for Shipping, Jute and Textile ministries Brigadier General (retd) Sakhawat Hossain expressed concerns regarding two recent fire incidents involving Bangladesh Shipping Corporation (BSC) vessels in Chattogram and urged to refrain from speculation until the investigation concludes. “I do not want to speculate on whether anything suspicious happened or what happened exactly. Please wait for the investigation,” he said during a briefing at the BSC office on Sunday. The adviser noted that following the fire aboard the Banglar Sourav ship, BSC’s managing director immediately chartered another ship for lightering operations. “Let me mention that before the incident, the MD had already said this would be Banglar Sourav's last trip or service. Unfortunately, the incident occurred. I was worried that an oil blast could have shut down the channel,” he added. Another BSC ship catches fire in Ctg; one dies He credited swift response teams, including the Navy, Coast Guard, and Port Authority, for controlling the fire and preventing further damage. “The Naval Chief called at 5 am and confirmed full cooperation. By 4:30 pm, I was informed that everyone had been rescued,” he said, adding that the rescue operation was handled professionally, with one individual taken to the hospital. He emphasized the importance of safety measures moving forward and said crude oil from Banglar Sourav would soon be transferred. He also recommended increasing the capacity of the terminal. In response to a question about BSC’s fleet, Hossain said five BSC vessels are generating substantial profits abroad, including in Jamaica. “None of them are in Bangladesh. We plan to expand BSC’s fleet as soon as possible, Inshallah,” he said. He also touched on efforts to reduce corruption within the ministry. “As long as we are here, we can at least reduce corruption,” he said. Regarding the acquisition of four new ships from China, Hossain revealed that a team is working to negotiate lower prices. “We are trying to reduce costs. If money has already been taken, how will we recover it? The dollar was at BDT 90. An investigation will be conducted,” he said. Two buses set on fire in Gazipur to protest RMG worker's death He expressed frustration over delays in several ministry projects, saying that halting them now would waste significant public funds. He vowed to send relevant documents to the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) for further investigation. “A former prime minister once joked that her peon had TK 400 crore. Have you ever, even in dreams, seen Tk 400 crore? I certainly haven’t,” he said.