Bangladesh Shipping Minister visits SLPA:

B’desh confident of using Sri Lanka as hub port in SA

A special delegation from the People’s Republic of Bangladesh headed by Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan arrived in Sri Lanka and made an exclusive visit at the Sri Lanka Ports Authority (SLPA) last week.

Following fruitful discussions with SLPA Chairman Dr Priyath B. Wickrama, Bangladesh Shipping Minister expressed confidence of strengthening ties between the two countries to use Sri Lanka as the maritime hub in South Asia to make viable and the most economic maritime activities from Bangladesh. The Minister also expressed that maritime transactions with Sri Lanka always stand cost effective and economically viable to the volumes handled in Bangladesh.

The discussions were followed by a presentation of SLPA conducted by SLPA Managing Director Capt. Nihal Keppetipola.

Out of the total annual volume of 1.3 million TEUs handled at Chittagong Port in Bangladesh, 23 percent (nearly 300,000TEUs) is handled via Port of Colombo.

The Bangladesh delegation headed by its Shipping Minister Shajahan Khan also included Private Secretary to the Shipping Minister Sohrab Hossain Sheikh, Shipping Ministry Joint Secretary (Commercial) Abdul Quddus, in Bangladesh Foreign Affairs Ministry, Assistant Secretary Minister Istiaque U. Ahmed, Chittagong Port Terminal Operator Ruhul Amin Tarofdar and Chittagong Port Berth Operator Shahadat Hossain.

SLPA Additional Managing Director Norman Weerarathne, Marketing and Business Development Chief Manager Upul Jayatissa and Communication and Public Relations Deputy Chief Manager Nalin Aponso were also present at the occasion.

The delegation also visited Magam Ruhunupura Mahinda Rajapaksa Port on Saturday.