Domestic berth operators have proposed a major investment plan to modernize and operate Chattogram Port’s oldest terminal, the General Cargo Berth (GCB). The Berth Operators, Ship Handling Operators, and Terminal Operators Owners Association (BOTSWA) submitted a $627 million investment proposal to the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) on Monday.
BOTSWA President Fazle Ekram Chowdhury formally handed over the proposal to CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman during a meeting on September 29. Representatives from the berth operators currently managing the GCB jetties were also present.
The proposal, based on a preliminary survey by consulting firm BDRS Limited, highlights the aging infrastructure of GCB. Six of its jetties were built in 1954, and the remaining six were rebuilt in 1979. The study suggests that the economic life of these facilities has expired, making reconstruction and modernization critical.
The plan calls for phased reconstruction of the jetties, the installation of modern handling equipment, and operation of the terminal under a public-private partnership (PPP) model for 25–30 years. A consortium of domestic and foreign investors will finance the project, with an initial investment estimated at $627 million (Tk 7,650 crore).
Currently, 12 private companies operate the 12 GCB jetties through competitive tenders. Six companies handle container operations, while the other six manage general cargo, including bulk goods. Berth operators have been managing the jetties since 2007 on an experimental basis, with formal tenders in place since 2010.
According to operator data, GCB handles nearly 80 percent of the bulk cargo unloaded at Chattogram Port and 45 percent of the port’s annual container traffic, totalling 3.2 million containers.
Speaking to the Times of Bangladesh, BOTSWA President Fazle Ekram Chowdhury emphasized the association’s extensive experience in managing the GCB jetties.
“Based on this expertise, we propose to develop and operate the terminal through a PPP model, with both local and foreign investment,” he said. “This will increase the port’s cargo and container handling capacity and improve service quality compared to existing terminals.”
Chowdhury also pointed out that the modernization project would create new employment opportunities while preserving existing jobs.
“If domestic operators manage the terminal, the investment will stay in the country, directly benefiting the national economy. Our plan involves investing Tk 7,650 crore in modernizing the GCB with a mix of local and foreign funding,” he added.
