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          Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has proposed to construct two more container terminals in Chittagong to cope with the growth in container cargo.
Besides, the JBIC has also proposed to finance infrastructural projects on road, water supply, power generation and telecommunications for the port city. The projects will roughly cost Tk 30 billion, JBIC sources said.
The CPA is currently implementing two container terminal projects -- New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Port Park Container Terminal (PPCT). The work on the NCT, which is being implemented at a cost of Tk 4.340 billion, is nearing completion. The ground-breaking work of the PPCT will begin soon. The project cost is estimated at Tk 470.80 million.
Chittagong port is experiencing on an average 14 per cent growth in container cargo and 8.1 per cent growth in general cargo. "To cope with the future handling of container and general cargo, two new terminals have become essential," said an official of the JBIC.
While talking to the FE, JBIC country representative Shinsuke Nagai said JBIC is yet to finalise the study. It is still at a fact-finding level. He said the study will be completed by April next.
"We will discuss on the mode of financing the project in May with the government and other donor agencies," he said.
The JBIC in a report said that the possible sites for the proposed container terminals could be Chhakatai area of the city and the place opposite to jetty seven, near Chittagong port building.
JBIC report said that Chhakatai container terminal should be located on 5.40 hectares of land while the other on 10 hectares so that both the container terminals could accommodate more than 200,000 Twenty Equivalent Units (TEUs) annually.
The JBIC is conducting the study -- multi-sectoral infrastructure development in Chittagong -- under a contract between the government of Bangladesh and the JBIC. It started the work on the study in September, 2005.
While talking to the FE, Hadi Hussain Babul, chief planning officer of Chittagong Port Authority (CPA), said construction of container terminal is highly a technical matter.
"We must see whether the sites proposed by the JBIC are feasible or not. I have not yet received the study conducted by the JBIC and cannot comment on it right now, " the chief planning officer said.