Passengers are suffering due to the lack of port infrastructure. Those concerned say that a new contractor will be appointed again.
Although the project period has expired, only 25 percent of the work has been completed.
Despite increasing the project cost by 26 crore taka, the construction work of the important modern seaport of Chandpur in the southern region has been halted.
After investigation, it was learned that the work of this two-year project has been halted for two months. On November 10, 2016, the 'Chandpur Modern Seaport Construction Project' was approved by the ECNEC. The cost of the project in the first phase, financed by the World Bank, was estimated at 67 crore taka. Later, its cost was increased to 93 crore 43 lakh 54 thousand taka.
In October 2024, as per the advice of the World Bank and consulting firms, piling work was started using alternative methods. However, although the piling work has been completed, the construction of the port is not being completed on time. As a result, the contractor has stopped the construction of the seaport since last June.
Abu Raihan and Riyad Hossain, passengers of Dhaka-bound launch, said, "We always travel through Chandpur launch ghat. For the past few years, we have been seeing the work on the launch ghat going on. When will this work be completed? Nothing is being done here for the new port.
In Particular, there are no passenger shelters, seating areas, toilets. The biggest problem is that passengers get wet during the ongoing rainy season. Passengers will suffer. Construction work needs to be done quickly."
Azgar Sarkar, representative of the launch owner of the ghat, said, "Chandpur is the second river port of the country, but infrastructure has not been developed in the same way. Work on the launch ghat has been going on for a long time. Before the piling work was completed, work has stopped completely again. We have learned that the contractor company is not able to work here due to not receiving the allocated money. We are demanding the government to complete the port construction work as soon as possible."
Mosharraf Hossain, an employee of a contractor company called Tama Construction, said, "I look after the work and goods of the Chandpur modern naval terminal. I have been here for more than a month, and since then I have seen that work has stopped. I do not know when the work will start."
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chandpur office Deputy Director (Port) Basir Ali Khan said, the contractor companies that worked earlier have been eliminated. The ministry will appoint a new contractor company. If a new contractor company comes, the work may start quickly with allocation.
More than fifty launches travel on various routes including Dhaka-Chandpur every day. Although it is one of the country's major waterways, there are no passenger shelters, seating arrangements and toilets as the work is ongoing. Passengers and launch owners have demanded that the work of this waterway port be completed quickly for passenger service.
