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Dhaka: Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to lay the foundation stone of the Tk 4,068 crore Mongla Port Expansion and Modernization Project on Thursday (November 5), marking a major step towards transforming the country’s second-largest seaport into a modern regional trade and logistics hub.
The project is expected to significantly increase the port’s container-handling capacity, strengthen maritime connectivity, facilitate international trade and attract investment to southwestern Bangladesh. It is also expected to create new opportunities for industrial development, economic growth and employment generation in the region.
The Tk 4,068.23 crore project, formally titled “Expansion and Modernization of Mongla Port Facilities”, is being implemented by the Mongla Port Authority (MPA) under the Ministry of Shipping.
China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC), a subsidiary of China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC), has been appointed as the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) contractor.
The project is being jointly financed by the governments of Bangladesh and China. The Chinese government is providing a concessional loan of approximately US$335.78 million through the Export-Import Bank of China.
Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam, MP, and State Minister for Shipping Md Razib Ahsan, MP, are expected to attend the foundation-stone-laying ceremony, along with senior government officials, representatives of the Chinese Embassy, CRCC and CCECC, and other distinguished guests.
The ministers are expected to highlight the project’s strategic importance in strengthening Bangladesh’s maritime infrastructure, accelerating industrial development, generating employment and unlocking the economic potential of the country’s southwestern region.
The expansion project includes the construction of two modern container jetties, numbered 10 and 11, with a combined quay length of 368 metres, along with advanced cargo-handling facilities and supporting infrastructure.
Once completed, the new facilities are expected to handle approximately 394,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) annually.
The terminal will also have an 87,600-square-metre loaded container yard, a 34,170-square-metre empty container yard and a 4,260-square-metre hazardous cargo-handling yard. The new facilities are expected to improve cargo management, operational efficiency and the overall handling capacity of the port.
The project’s financing framework was established during Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s visit to China on June 25, 2026, when the China International Development Cooperation Agency (CIDCA) and Bangladesh’s Economic Relations Division (ERD) signed a framework agreement.
Subsequently, on October 10, Bangladesh signed a loan agreement worth RMB 2.404 billion, equivalent to approximately Tk 3,592.90 crore, with the Export-Import Bank of China to finance the project.
Ahead of the foundation-stone-laying ceremony, a high-level Chinese delegation led by CRCC Chairman Dai Hegen is scheduled to hold a courtesy meeting with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday.
The meeting is expected to focus on expanding bilateral investment cooperation, particularly in infrastructure development, industrial investment, economic zones and employment generation.
Representatives of Invest Bangladesh are also expected to attend the meeting. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on investment cooperation between Invest Bangladesh and CRCC is scheduled to be signed, establishing a framework for further cooperation and potential Chinese investment in Bangladesh.
The proposed agreement is expected to strengthen economic ties between Bangladesh and China and create new opportunities for cooperation in major infrastructure and industrial development projects.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s scheduled visit to Mongla will come just two weeks after his previous visit to the area on October 22, underscoring the government’s focus on accelerating infrastructure development, attracting foreign investment and strengthening the economic prospects of southwestern Bangladesh.
The Mongla Port expansion and modernization project is considered a key initiative to enhance Bangladesh’s regional trade competitiveness, improve connectivity with neighbouring markets and support the country’s long-term economic development.
With expanded port facilities and the proposed Chinese Special Economic Zone, Mongla is expected to emerge as an important centre for maritime trade, industrial investment and logistics services in the region.