None has chewed money from reserves
Published:
2022-10-28 10:36:55 BdST
Update:
2024-05-06 14:45:03 BdST
Live Correspondent: Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said money from the country's foreign currency reserves is being used for development activities, imports, and the people's welfare, as she inaugurated and laid foundation-stone of several development schemes at the Payra Seaport which are being implemented with own financing.
The Prime Minister virtually inaugurated and laid the foundation stones of several development schemes at the Payra Seaport involving Tk 11,072 crore that include capital dredging of the seaport's Rabnabad channel, launching of eight ships, first terminal and construction of a six-lane approach road and a bridge, from her official Ganabhaban residence in Dhaka.
Briefly describing the projects taken for the development of the naval routes, the premier said, "Bangladesh's economy would be more vibrant, stronger, and developed once the measures taken by us are completed."
Sheikh Hasina said she herself formed the Bangladesh Infrastructure Development Fund with the reserved money and the development schemes at the Payra Seaport have been taken under the fund.
"We have started the development schemes for the first time from the fund. We can use the reserved money for the country's infrastructure development in the future," she said.
The Prime Minister said she had the desire to start the development works of the Payra Seaport with her own finance as many hurdles would have to be faced in getting a foreign loan.
Sheikh Hasina said the Payra Seaport Authority has been given a loan from the fund with low interest to implement the development projects and they may have to pay one or two percent interest with service charge for that.
She said her government has been developing all the ways -- road, rail, air and water -- but their priority is developing the naval routes across the country to ensure the transportation of goods at the cheapest rate.
The Prime Minister stressed the need for continuing dredging of the naval routes every year after their capital dredging to maintain their navigability.
She said her government is arranging dredgers for every seaport as maintenance dredging is required every year to ensure the navigability of the ports,
The premier said her government wanted to connect the seaport with North Bengal and it can also be connected with Assam of India and Bhutan, adding that her government had already allowed India, Nepal, and Bhutan to use the Mongla and Chattogram seaports.
She said the Payra Seaport has special importance as it is situated in between Mongla and Chattogram seaports, adding that the Payra Seaport has so far earned revenues worth over Tk 600 crore since its operation started.
The premier said she had to face opposition from many people when she wanted to build it, adding that they opposed the move saying that it would not be viable.
She said the capital dredging of the seaport's Rabnabad channel will create a 75km-long, 100-125meter-wide, and 10.5 meter-deep channel, building a capacity to dock 40,000 tons of cargo or 3,000 container-laden ships at the port.
About the inauguration of the eight ships, she said seven of the ships were being built at various dockyards in Bangladesh.
She said she had the plan to build a rail bridge to connect the Payra Seaport after opening the construction work of a 1,180-meter-long bridge over the Andharmanik river to transport goods to the Payra Seaport.
State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, Shipping Secretary Md. Mostafa Kamal and Payra Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail spoke at the function held at Payra Port, Kalapara in Patuakhali. A documentary on the Payra Port and the development projects was screened on the occasion.
Dhaka, 27 October (campuslive24.com)//AIT
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