Tarique Rahman amazed by the development projects undertaken by the Sheikh Hasina government in Matarbari

❐ BD Digest Desk

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Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reviewed the current status of the development campaign initiated by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to develop the once remote coastal town of Matarbari into a modern economic hub with a deep seaport, power plant, energy infrastructure, industrial zone and advanced communication system.

Today, Sunday, August 9, he visited Matarbari in Maheshkhali, Cox’s Bazar, and inspected various ongoing and proposed projects, including a deep sea port, coal-based power plant, coal jetty, and LNG-LPG terminal.

During Sheikh Hasina’s government, a large and integrated development plan was taken around Matarbari. In addition to power generation, initiatives were taken to develop Matarbari-Moheshkhali as an important economic hub in the southeastern region of the country by creating a deep seaport, coal transportation and unloading infrastructure, road connectivity, energy terminals, and opportunities for future industrialization.

JICA documents also mention plans to develop a hub for power generation and economic activities in the Matarbari-Moheshkhali area.

One of the visible signs of that development plan is the Matarbari deep seaport. The port’s development has been taken forward with the aim of bringing in and taking out goods on large ships, increasing the country’s import and export capacity, and expanding regional trade and communication with neighboring countries.

According to JICA, the second phase of the Matarbari Port development project includes plans to build a multi-purpose deep seaport and access road for containers and general cargo.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the deep sea port at around 12:15 pm on Sunday. Earlier, he arrived in Matarbari by helicopter at 10:52 am. He was received at the helipad by State Minister for Power and Energy Anindya Islam Amit.

The Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon said that the Prime Minister was briefed on the overall issues of the deep sea port project. She was also informed about the project’s work plan.

Sheikh Hasina’s plan to convert electricity into ports

At the center of Matarbari’s current development structure are electricity and a port—two infrastructures that were integrated with each other and were the subject of a major plan during Sheikh Hasina’s government.

A 1200 MW ultra-supercritical coal-fired power plant with two units of 600 MW each was built in Matarbari. Along with the power plant, port facilities for coal transportation, power transmission lines, and access roads were also part of the project.

According to JICA, the project aimed to increase the country’s electricity supply and diversify its energy sources.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman also visited the power plant on Sunday. He held a meeting with the concerned officials at the project’s administrative building.

The officials briefed him on the current status of the power plant, production and operational activities, production capacity, fuel supply and management, operational efficiency, maintenance, and safety measures.

The Prime Minister planted a neem sapling in the project area.

Another important feature of Sheikh Hasina’s government’s timely plan was to link the power plant to port and communication infrastructure, rather than viewing it as an isolated project.

The JICA document also mentions the power plant, coal transport port, transmission line, and access road as part of the same project structure.

Industrial and energy hub surrounding Matarbari

In Sheikh Hasina’s development plan, Matarbari was not just a power generation center. It was also linked to plans to build larger industrial and energy infrastructure.

A preparatory report by JICA mentions plans to develop various infrastructures, including a special economic zone, logistics park, power plant, and LNG terminal, in the Matarbari area in the future.

In other words, the idea of ​​turning Matarbari into a major economic activity center by integrating these four sectors – power, port, energy, and industry – was one of the foundations of the development plan.

In that vein, on Sunday, the Prime Minister was shown the designated sites for the proposed LNG-based power plant, metrochemical project, and new refinery.

Later, he also toured the LPG, LNG and coal terminal-related infrastructure and the proposed project area.

The Prime Minister’s Assistant Press Secretary KM Nazmul Haque Khan said that the Prime Minister took detailed information from the concerned officials about the plans and future use of these projects and gave opinions and directions on various issues.

Plans to connect to the communication system

Another important aspect of Matarbari’s development campaign was the communication system. Because creating a deep seaport or industrial zone will not increase economic activity; improved road and rail connectivity is needed to quickly reach goods from the port to different parts of the country and regional markets.

Various JICA documents have mentioned the need to connect Matarbari Port with National Highway N1 and develop regional connectivity.

At the same time, the development of the Chittagong-Cox’s Bazar highway has been linked to major projects in Maheshkhali, including Matarbari.

In other words, the development plan that was taken around Matarbari during Sheikh Hasina’s government aimed not just to build a power plant or a port; but to make the port, power, energy, industry, and communications all part of the same economic system.

From coal jetty to deep seaport

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman visited the Coal JTO at one stage of his visit. From there, he inspected various installations of the Matarbari deep sea port, LNG terminal and power plant.

The port infrastructure that has been developed for coal transportation and unloading also has the potential to be used as a larger commercial deep-sea port in the future.

A JICA study said that the ship anchorage and cargo handling facilities built for the power plant created an opportunity to develop a commercial deep-sea port there.

Thus, during Sheikh Hasina’s government, power plant-centric infrastructure gradually became the basis for larger port and economic development plans.

That model of development is now the foundation for the future.

The Prime Minister’s visit to Matarbari on Sunday was not limited to just inspecting a few ongoing projects. It also brought to light the current picture of a long-term development plan, the foundation of which was laid during Sheikh Hasina’s government.

From a deep seaport to a 1200 MW power plant, from a coal jetty to an energy terminal, from an access road to a future industrial zone—these interconnected infrastructures are the reality of the dream of transforming Matarbari into an integrated port-energy-industrial hub.

During Sunday’s visit, the Prime Minister, in addition to seeing the current condition of those infrastructures, also spoke with officials about the future use and expansion of the proposed projects.

As a result, the potential for the next phase of economic activities is now being explored based on the development model that was created around Matarbari during Sheikh Hasina’s government.

The Prime Minister was accompanied on the visit by Finance Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed, Power and Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmud Tuku, State Minister for Power and Energy Anindya Islam Amit, Prime Minister’s Security Advisor Retired Brigadier General ATM Shamsul Islam, Additional Press Secretary Atiqur Rahman Rumon, and BNP Special Political Secretary Belayet Hossain Mridha, along with relevant officials.