The Cabinet has approved in principle the draft of the ‘Paira Seaport Construction Authority Bill 2013’ aimed at building a seaport at Ramnabad in Kalapara upazila of Patuakhali district.  

The approval was given at the regular weekly meeting of the Cabinet held at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) today (Monday) with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.  

Briefing reporters after the meeting at the Cabinet Division of Bangladesh Secretariat, Additional Secretary to the Cabinet Division Khondoker Md Iftekhar Haider said the government has a plan for the construction of the port under Public-Private-Partnership (PPP) initiative. 

Under the proposal, a detailed feasibility study will be conducted for the construction of the seaport to be named after River Paira, likely to be the third sea port of the country.  

The Cabinet Division additional secretary said that earlier on February 15, 2012, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina at a rally in Patuakhali assured that a sea port will be built at Paira.  

He said that once the port is constructed, it would facilitate setting up economic zone, industrial zone, dockyard, recycling industries and fish processing zone as well as facilitate export of fish and agro items.  

The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave nod to the Paira Seaport project on January 11, 2012.  

Ministers, Advisers to the Prime Minister, State Ministers and Secretaries concerned attended the day’s Cabinet meeting.