Chittagong Bureau :
The World Bank on Tuesday showed interest in providing technical and financial assistance to the government for enhancing management efficiency and cargo handling skills of Chittagong Port.
The Country Director of WB in Bangladesh, Johannes Zutt, communicated such interest to Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal during a meeting at his office at Agargaon in the capital city.
The Minister said that enhancing overall efficiency of Chittagong Port has become urgent for boosting economic growth of Bangladesh. In this connection, he said that the present government was expecting WB’s cooperation in improving management and cargo handling skills of the biggest port in the country. Zutt said that the World Bank would continue its existing $2.8 billion project assistance in Bangladesh.
He expressed the hope that it would increase in future.
“The World Bank is really interested to invest in the infrastructural sector of Bangladesh”, he added. The Planning Minister mentioned that at present Bangla-desh’s GDP was more than 6 per cent.
He observed that this would surpass 7 per cent soon. The economy will suffer if management and cargo handling skills of Chittagong Port do not improve, he said adding that the World Bank could help the government in this regard right now.
He said that government is interested to make a deep sea port in Kutubdia. World Bank can bring their proposal in this sector. As making of deep sea port is time consuming, World Bank can promptly assist financially and technically to increase the effectiveness of Chittagong sea port.
It is necessary for the growing economy of Bangladesh. Appre-ciating the proposal of government, Zutt said, World Bank is interested to support to increase the effectiveness of Chittagong sea port.
It will first measure the feasibility of a deep sea port making in Kutubdia. Later it will place particular proposal. Among others senior economist of the World Bank Iffath Sharif was present in the meeting.
