Staff Reporter, Dhaka : The construction phase of Bangladesh’s first-ever deep seaport has officially commenced with the signing of the port construction contract under the Matarbari Port Development Project at a ceremony held in Dhaka today. The contract was signed between the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and the Joint Venture of Penta-Ocean Construction Co., Ltd. and TOA Corporation, both leading Japanese construction firms with a strong global track record.
The signing ceremony was attended by Brigadier General (R.) Dr. M Sakhawat Hussain, Honorable Adviser, Ministry of Shipping; Admiral M Nazmul Hassan, Chief of Naval Staff; Mohammed Yousuf, Senior Secretary, Ministry of Shipping; Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman, Chairman, CPA; Naokiakahashi, Minister, Deputy Chief of Mission of the Embassy of Japan to Bangladesh; and Tomohide Ichiguchi, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh Office, among other esteemed guests.

The Matarbari Port Development Project is being implemented under the Official Development Assistance (ODA) program with financial support (loan) from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA). In addition to the concessional loan, JICA is also extending technical cooperation to ensure that the development of the port and its surrounding infrastructure is aligned with global best practices in terms of design, environmental considerations, and operational efficiency.

The Matarbari Port is the core project under the Moheshkhali – Matarbari Integrated Infrastructure Development Initiative (MIDI), a comprehensive development vision jointly promoted by the Governments of Bangladesh and Japan. The initiative aims to transform the Moheshkhali – Matarbari region into a strategic economic corridor by integrating logistics, energy, and industrial development. The operationalization of Matarbari Port will catalyze the development of surrounding special economic zones,
attract foreign direct investment, and generate local employment opportunities.
As part of the project’s broader scope, JICA is also financing the 27 km access road that will link the Matarbari Port to National Highway No. 1, along with the improvement of several bottlenecks along the existing highway from Chattogram to Chakaria. These upgrades are essential to enabling a seamless, multimodal logistics system, ensuring that cargo can move efficiently from the port to key industrial and commercial hubs across the country.
Tomohide Ichiguchi, Chief Representative of JICA Bangladesh Office, said, “This is not just a contract signing—it is the beginning of a transformative journey. Matarbari Port will serve as a new maritime gateway for Bangladesh and a driver of economic growth in the long run. We are proud to support this visionary project, which symbolizes the strength and depth of the partnership between Japan and Bangladesh.”
Once completed, the Matarbari Port is expected to accommodate large-scale container vessels, significantly reducing the current dependency on transshipment ports in the region. This will result in
shorter transportation lead times, reduced costs for importers and exporters, and enhanced reliability of trade routes—all of which are vital for boosting Bangladesh’s global trade competitiveness and
investment attractiveness.