Prof. ABM. Mosharraf Husain, Bagerhat :
Jute and jute products are not being exported from Mongla Sea Port for the last few years. But no satisfactory step was taken so far from any quarter to solve the problems faced by the exporters to use Mongla Port. As a result, jute exporters of Khulna region are incurring a heavy loss and ultimately the marginal growers of jute are the main victims and at the same time Mongla port is being deprived from a huge amount of revenue.
According to a source, about 70 per cent of raw jute and jute products are produced in greater Khulna region.
On the other hand, 33 Govt. and private jute mills and more than 100 exporting establishments of Khulna region control the jute exporting markets of more than Taka 1 and 50 thousand crores of the country. Though the businessmen and traders of Khulna region are playing an important role in exporting and importing goods they are not at all willing use Mongla Port for exporting their jute and jute products.
The distance of Mongla Sea Port from Khulna divisional town is only 48 kilometers by road and 52 kilometers by water route while the distance of Chittagang port from Khulna divisional town is 645 kilometers by road and a vehicle normally takes 18 to 24 hours to cross this long route while a vehicle takes only 1.5 to 2 hours to reach from Khulna to Mongla Port. In spite of all those facilities the exporters of jute and jute products of Khulna region are not at all interested to use Mongla port for exporting jute and jute products due to shortage of containers at Mongla port and the high rent of the same. This problem was created in the year 2008 when the Govt. made it compulsory to use containers to export jute and jute products. But the concerned authorities could not solve the container-problems and higher rents of the same (containers) in comparison with Chittagang port.
The buyers are to bear all the exporting costs. So, they are not willing to spend excess money for importing jute and jute products from Mongla port and since then the foreign buyers turned away their faces from Mongla port. As a result, Mongla port is loosing a huge amount of revenue. On the other hand, the exporters are forced to take risk for crossing the long route from Khulna to Chittagang and spend excess money for exporting jute and jute products from Chittagong port. In spite of that the exporters are not willing to use Mongla Port.
Sayed Ali, President , Bangladesh Jute Association disclosed, after issuing the order by the Govt. to use containers compulsory for exporting jute and jute products they (jute and jute products) are not exported from Mongla port for acute scarcity of containers and their high rents.
Jute and jute products are not being exported from Mongla Sea Port for the last few years. But no satisfactory step was taken so far from any quarter to solve the problems faced by the exporters to use Mongla Port. As a result, jute exporters of Khulna region are incurring a heavy loss and ultimately the marginal growers of jute are the main victims and at the same time Mongla port is being deprived from a huge amount of revenue.
According to a source, about 70 per cent of raw jute and jute products are produced in greater Khulna region.
On the other hand, 33 Govt. and private jute mills and more than 100 exporting establishments of Khulna region control the jute exporting markets of more than Taka 1 and 50 thousand crores of the country. Though the businessmen and traders of Khulna region are playing an important role in exporting and importing goods they are not at all willing use Mongla Port for exporting their jute and jute products.
The distance of Mongla Sea Port from Khulna divisional town is only 48 kilometers by road and 52 kilometers by water route while the distance of Chittagang port from Khulna divisional town is 645 kilometers by road and a vehicle normally takes 18 to 24 hours to cross this long route while a vehicle takes only 1.5 to 2 hours to reach from Khulna to Mongla Port. In spite of all those facilities the exporters of jute and jute products of Khulna region are not at all interested to use Mongla port for exporting jute and jute products due to shortage of containers at Mongla port and the high rent of the same. This problem was created in the year 2008 when the Govt. made it compulsory to use containers to export jute and jute products. But the concerned authorities could not solve the container-problems and higher rents of the same (containers) in comparison with Chittagang port.
The buyers are to bear all the exporting costs. So, they are not willing to spend excess money for importing jute and jute products from Mongla port and since then the foreign buyers turned away their faces from Mongla port. As a result, Mongla port is loosing a huge amount of revenue. On the other hand, the exporters are forced to take risk for crossing the long route from Khulna to Chittagang and spend excess money for exporting jute and jute products from Chittagong port. In spite of that the exporters are not willing to use Mongla Port.
Sayed Ali, President , Bangladesh Jute Association disclosed, after issuing the order by the Govt. to use containers compulsory for exporting jute and jute products they (jute and jute products) are not exported from Mongla port for acute scarcity of containers and their high rents.
