Projects to be implemented to make PICT more dynamic

The state minister for shipping, Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury, on Sunday said several projects will be implemented to make Pangaon Inland Contain Terminal (PICT) more dynamic.

He made the remark while addressing a meeting on increasing the PICT's container handling capacity held in the conference room of the ministry, according to a press release issued on the day.

Mohammad Mezbah Uddin Chowdhury, shipping secretary, Commodore Golam Sadeq, BIWTA chairman, Golam Md Sarwarul Islam, manager, PICT, were present at the meeting.

Rear Admiral SM Abul Kalam Azad, chairman of Chittagong Port Authority, Md Shafiquzzaman, additional commerce secretary, Md Khalid Hossain, joint secretary to the Ministry of Railways, Ismail Hossain Siraji, Pangaon Customs commissioner and representative of Road Transport and Highways Department joined the meeting virtually.

Participants at the meeting said the Chittagong Port Authority will provide a scanner for PICT to facilitate cotton import through the terminal and increase its container handling capacity.

They also said there are several proposals aimed at facilitating better usage of PICT by businessmen.

The proposals include the construction of a four-lane expressway from PICT to Dhaka EPZ, establishing a special economic zone in Keraniganj area, connecting PICT with Padma Bridge Railway, importing and exporting products of certain factories in Dhaka through PICT and upgrading the connection of Postogola Bridge from Pangaon ICT to four lanes from two. 

Moreover, Ismail Hossain Siraji said there are plans to upgrade the road connecting PICT to Hasnabad Bridge into a four-lane highway and construct an inter-circular in Hasnabad to facilitate better transportation of container-carrying trawlers.

He said there are also plans to construct an additional bridge next to the Postogola Bridge and a cable steel bridge at Panchabati in Fatullah.