Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr. M  Sakhawat Hussain today held a meeting with a delegation of JICA,  Bangladesh at the Secretariat. Photo: PID

DHAKA, Jan 26, 2025 (BSS) - Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd) Dr. M 
Sakhawat Hussain today called upon the Japan International Cooperation Agency 
(JICA) to provide Bangladesh financial and technical assistances in 
formulating the National Port Strategy (NPS) for attracting larger foreign 
investment in the country's maritime sector. 

"We are calling on JICA to provide technical and financial assistance in 
formulating this important port strategy for Bangladesh's port management," 
he said.

Dr Sakhawat made the appeal at a meeting held with a delegation of JICA, 
Bangladesh at the Secretariat here this morning. 

A 5-member delegation led by ICHIGUCHI Tomohide, chief representative of JICA 
Bangladesh, and Senior Secretary of the Ministry of Shipping Mohammed Yousuf 
were present at the meeting. 

The Shipping Adviser said it is unfortunate but true that no integrated port 
management strategy has been formulated in Bangladesh even in the last 50 
years. 

He said each port adopts its activities and development plans separately 
despite the fact that like the developed world, modern and integrated 
effective port management is the need of the hour in Bangladesh too. 

"The world's famous ports are now managing their activities through 
automation," he said, adding that as a result, more and more foreign 
investment is being made there.

Mentioning that Japan has long experience in sea port management, the 
Shipping Adviser said, "To attract more domestic and foreign investment in 
our maritime sector and to ensure an effective and sustainable port 
management, the current government has taken the initiative to formulate a 
'National Port Strategy'." 

Sakhawat hoped that a new chapter will begin in the country's maritime sector 
through the formulation of the 'National Port Strategy' with the support of 
JICA. 

Through this strategy, he said an integrated, strong and modern port 
structure will be developed and a maritime single window will be launched to 
bring all port-centric services to a single platform.

The JICA delegation welcomed the Adviser's proposal to formulate the 
Bangladesh National Port Strategy and said that Bangladesh is a true friend 
of Japan. 

"Japan is always by the side of the people of Bangladesh. The JICA delegation 
assured all-out cooperation in the formulation of the National Port 
Strategy," a press release of the ministry said, quoting the JICA delegation.

The Shipping Adviser described Japan as a tested friend of Bangladesh. 

Since the independence, JICA has been making important contributions to the 
education, health, agriculture, energy transport and infrastructure sectors 
of Bangladesh, he said. 

"With the overall support of JICA, the country's first deep sea port is being 
built in Matarbari," he added. 

The meeting reviewed the progress of the construction of Matarbari Deep Sea 
Port and shed light on various technical issues and hoped that the Sea Port 
would be operational by 2030.