Matarbari will be a regional hub like Singapore: Bida Executive Chairman

Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) Executive Chairman Lokman Hossain Miah said on Wednesday that Cox's Bazar's Matarbari will become a regional hub like Singapore once the deep sea port there is inaugurated.

During a visit to inspect the development work of the Matarbari deep sea port and the coal-based power plant in Maheshkhali upazila, he said the projects will help bring more investments in the country.

Mentioning that Bida has received an investment commitment worth around $4.6 billion last year, he said, "The country has a favourable investment environment and friendly relations with all countries."

The Bida executive chairman further said that if Matarbari port starts operations, the biggest ships in the world will be able to come here.

"At present, around 4,000 people are working on the Matarbari project. Thousands more people will be employed if the port and power plant are opened. Cox's Bazar will be a developed city," he said.

Lokman Hossain Miah said, "Thirty-eight ambassadors have met me in the last four months since I took over as the executive chairman of Bida. Some 225 teams have visited the country. More investors will be interested to invest here if more projects are implemented around Matarbari."

Abul Kalam Azad, executive director of the Coal Power Generation Company Bangladesh Limited, said, "A 400 KV power line in the Matarbari Ultra Super Critical Coal-Fired Power Project was inaugurated on 14 February. In April, 80,000 tonnes of coal will be imported from Indonesia for the power plant and commercial production will begin in December."

He also said, "Some 1,200 megawatts of electricity will be produced in the power plant. In December, 600 MW of electricity will be produced. Another 600 MW will be added by March 2023."

"Around 10,000 tonnes of coal per day will be required for power generation in the plant which has a storage capacity of 6 lakh tonnes of coal," he added.

Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral M Shahjahan, said, "Matarbari port will be operational in 2026 or 2027. Vessels with a depth of 16 metres to 18 meters can anchor in the jetty."

He further said, "The port will facilitate the direct shipment of products to different parts of the world including Europe and the USA. It will reduce the time by half. Already, transportation of goods to different countries of Europe has started from the Chattogram port."