By Asma Parvin Abritty:

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today laid the foundation stone of a Tk 4,068 crore project to build two container jetties and develop related infrastructure at Mongla Port, aiming to expand its handling capacity and modernise the port services.

He laid the foundation stone at a ceremony in Mongla, Bagerhat, at 11:15 am, said PM’s Deputy Press Secretary Jahidul Islam Rony.

Under the project, two container jetties will be built along with associated infrastructure, aimed at increasing the port’s handling capacity and upgrading its services.

Earlier in the morning, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reached Mongla Port at 9:50am on a one-day official visit to attend programmes in Bagerhat and Khulna.

After arriving in Mongla, he attended the signing ceremony of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on economic and infrastructure cooperation between Invest Bangladesh and China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), a Chinese state-owned company.

Invest Bangladesh Member (Industrial Zones) Saleh Ahmed and Li Chongyang, Chairman of China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation, signed the MoU on behalf of their respective sides.

Under the MoU, the two sides will explore investment opportunities in key sectors, including energy, industrial infrastructure, eco-friendly infrastructure, transport, logistics and human resource development.

The Prime Minister also exchanged views with a high-level Chinese delegation led by CRCC Chairman Dai Hegen after the signing ceremony.

After completing his programmes in Mongla, he will go to Bagerhat town by road to visit the ‘Mazar’ of Hazrat Khan Jahan Ali (R) at Mogra.

He will then set out for Khulna by road at 1:15 pm and make a brief stop at the Khulna Circuit House at 2:15 pm.

In Khulna, he is scheduled to attend the opening ceremony of Notun Kuri Sports (Season-2) at the Khulna District Stadium at 3:00 pm, before flying back to Dhaka by helicopter at 4:30 pm and arriving at Tejgaon Airport at 5:15 pm.