Bangladesh is moving forward with the long-planned deep-sea port at Matarbari on Maheshkhali Island, presenting it as the first pillar of a broader Maheshkhali–Matarbari integrated development zone.
At a press briefing last week, the head of the newly formed Moheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (MIDA) said the government aims to finalise a master plan by the end of the year and has launched a 120-day work programme in the fourth quarter of 2025 with the involvement of more than ten ministries and agencies.
“The first pillar of the initiative is the deep-sea port and its connected logistics system,” he said, adding that the plan is structured in phases covering 2025–2030, 2030–2045 and 2045–2055.
The caretaker administration has positioned the port as the anchor of a 30-year plan to develop a commercial hub across sectors including logistics, power, manufacturing and fisheries, with completion of the master plan targeted for the fourth quarter.
The Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) has initiated the hiring of international consultants to set tariffs for the under-construction Matarbari Deep Sea Port and the Bay Terminal, referring to a 2029–2030 operational window.
CPA signed a construction contract in April with Japanese joint venture Penta-Ocean and TOA for a 760-metre terminal consisting of a 460-metre container jetty and a 300-metre multipurpose jetty under Phase-1, Package-1, with completion linked to the 2029 operational target.
The project is largely financed by JICA, which is also supporting master-planning for the wider initiative.
The port’s depth would allow mother vessels to berth directly, shortening supply chains and potentially serving India’s Northeast as well as Bangladesh’s exporters.
Technical parameters cited include a natural seabed depth of about 18.5 metres in the Matarbari area, allowing vessels of 8,000–8,200 TEU to call directly, and an engineered access channel of more than 14 kilometres. An access road of approximately 27 kilometres is under construction, and the plan also considers double-line rail links to Dhaka and intermodal facilities to reduce logistics costs.
Estimates connected to government and JICA sources point to $60–65 billion in investment over 20–30 years, a total GDP impact of $150 billion (of which $70–75 billion direct) and around 150,000 direct jobs, rising to 2.5 million including indirect employment. “The idea is to combine deep-sea port facilities with energy terminals, power plants and economic zones so that industries can operate close to fuel and logistics,” the MIDA chief said.
According to CPA’s tariff documentation, Phase-1 is designed to handle about 8,200 TEU vessels at an operational draft of around 14.5 metres. The Matarbari coal power complex, with two planned 1,200 MW units, was the initial driver for the deep channel; one unit is already generating, and the channel is currently used by bulk coal carriers.
“The first pillar of the initiative is the deep-sea port and its connected logistics system,” the MIDA leadership reiterated. “Both the Matarbari Deep Sea Port and the Bay Terminal are expected to be completed and operational by 2029 or 2030… the tariffs can be finalised well before the ports go into operation,” said Md Omar Faruk, Secretary of CPA.
Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) is a statutory authority of the Government of Bangladesh, responsible for the management, control and operation of the country’s principal seaport at Chattogram.
Moheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (MIDA) is a statutory body established by the Government of Bangladesh with a mandate to plan and coordinate the integrated development of Maheshkhali and Matarbari.