Mongla Port, the second largest seaport in Bangladesh, has experienced a significant boost in operations and revenue with the arrival of 171 foreign commercial vessels in the last two and a half months, according to the Mongla Port Authority (MPA).
Between July 1 and September 21, 2025, a total of 18.02 lakh tonnes of goods were transported through the port. Among the 171 vessels, 12 ships carried 8,514 TEUs (twenty-foot equivalent units) of containers, while 2,118 reconditioned cars of various brands were imported via six ships.
Muhammad Makruzzaman, Deputy Director (Public Relations) of the MPA, said that several initiatives taken during the interim government have contributed to the rise in ship arrivals. At present, 153 more foreign ships are anchored at various points of the port, including Harbaria, Base Creek, Sundori Kota, and the Mooring Boya point. These vessels are carrying a range of commodities including fertiliser, clinker, LPG, coal, and stone.
Makruzzaman highlighted the port’s growing importance as an economic hub in southwestern Bangladesh. He noted that Mongla Port has created hundreds of thousands of jobs and plays a critical role in meeting the country's demand for a wide array of goods. These include food grains, cement raw materials, fertilisers, automobiles, industrial machinery, coal, oil, rice, corn, oilseeds, and LPG gas.
In addition to imports, the port also handles exports of items such as fish, shrimp, frozen food, jute and jute goods, crabs, clay tiles, silk cloth, and general cargo.
He further stated that seven development projects are currently under construction at the port to expand its operational capacity. Once completed, these projects aim to transform Mongla into an eco-friendly and globally competitive, business-friendly port.
The import of reconditioned cars has notably increased, with many importers now choosing Mongla as their preferred gateway due to improved efficiency and capacity.
Makruzzaman concluded by saying that the continued growth in ship arrivals and cargo handling signals a promising future for the port’s contribution to national development.
SR
