In brief
A groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 6 marked the start of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation’s expansion of Bangladesh’s Mongla Port. The project aims to add two 20,000‑dwt berths, digital upgrades and 49 sets of handling equipment, boosting capacity to 350,000 TEUs over 42 months. Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tariq Rahman highlighted job creation and strengthened ties, while the contractor pledged green construction and local cooperation.
A groundbreaking ceremony on Nov. 6 in southwestern Bangladesh marked the start of a China‑financed expansion of Mongla Port, according to Xinhua. The ceremony was led by Chinese civil engineer Dai Hegen and Bangladeshi Prime Minister Tariq Rahman, who emphasised the project’s role in boosting trade, employment and regional connectivity.
Tariq Rahman said the project would "enhance the port's overall service capacity, reduce logistics costs, boost investment and employment, and promote economic development in the country's southwestern region" and underlined the longstanding friendship between Bangladesh and China based on mutual respect and shared development.
Dai Hegen, chairman of the China Railway Construction Corporation, announced that the contractor would pursue "green construction practices" and strengthen cooperation with local partners to ensure a high‑quality implementation, helping transform Mongla Port into a modern maritime hub that connects the Bay of Bengal and serves the wider South Asian region.
Song Yang, economic and commercial counsellor of the Chinese embassy in Bangladesh, said the project represents an important achievement in practical cooperation between the two countries and would "further improve the port's digitalization, modernization and specialized operations, enhance its overall service capacity and operational efficiency, and contribute to deeper bilateral cooperation in infrastructure development, trade and investment."
The project, as detailed by the contractor, includes the construction of two 20,000‑deadweight‑ton container berths, supporting container yards and auxiliary facilities, and the procurement and installation of 49 sets of port‑handling equipment. It is designed to handle approximately 350,000 twenty‑foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually over a contractual construction period of 42 months.
According to an Instagram post, Bangladesh has signed a $335.78‑million concessional loan agreement with China to expand and modernise Mongla Port. The claim has not been verified by a primary source.
