Mongla Port to get water treatment plant

The shipping ministry has initiated a move to set up a Surface Water Treatment Plant at the Mongla Port spending Tk 2,533 crore to cope with the massive development activities centring the port.

The ministry has proposed a draft project to this end titled, "Establishing Surface Water Treatment Plant for Mongla Port" and sent the proposal to the Planning Commission for recommendations.

The port authority will implement the proposed project by June 2019 with fund from the national exchequer. A pre-evaluation committee (PEC) meeting on the project was held on August 17.

"The proposed project will soon be placed before the Ecnec for its consideration," said a Planning Commission official.

An official of the ministry said the government has taken an initiative to implement development works centring the Mongla Port through implementing the Padma Bridge Project, setting up Khulna-Mongla rail link, ensuring gas supply through pipeline, and constructing Khan Jahan Ali Airport, among others.

To deal with such large development activities over the next two years, the port will handle some 1,200 commercial ships every year for which there is a need for ensuring safe drinking water.

"This project has been proposed to meet the demand for safe drinking water of seagoing ships, port offices and residential areas, and to meet the demand of water of various government and private agencies adjacent to the port," the shipping ministry official added.

The ministry official said efforts were also there in the past to meet the water demand at the port, but those proved inadequate with the passage of time.