There is a big advantage: the Mayor has been returned for a third term (8th to 12th year), hence it would ensure the continuity of development projects; and he has eight years' experience of the bottlenecks and local problems and psychological barriers. The noisy politicians in Dhaka clamour a lot about the development of the ports, but at the end of the day the physical results are rather invisible. Speeches are for motivation, not announcing statistical data.

The port has to get number one priority, followed by the building up of a deep sea port. It is hampering our exports (and imports) due to longer time factor for various transactions, and higher cost of business at the port offices and counters.

Modernisation of management system is still a long way off. Readymade packages are available in the market (for project planners) for instant installation, starting with larger computerisation footprints. The port's land and water exit/entry points have to be expanded to control congestion. How far have we succeeded?

The regime should note the increasing criticism in the press of strong centralisation syndrome in metropolis Dhaka (with a bankrupt parliament, and limping opposition suffering from deep political depression). The politicians have created a one-stop centre for their subversive 'development' ventures, but the similar facilities are not available to the citizens at the divisional and district HQs. Where are the power-dispersal projects?

In principle, reduce the number in the government offices continues to be poor, due to lack of motivation and encouragement from the top. Unless the combined systems losses in the public sector could be reduced below 20 per cent, the growth rate cannot reach seven pc or above, necessary for take-off of the economy. The black-money factor in the changing GDP figure is never pointed out by the government. The coming budget has to be sensitive to the grey and black markets.

Now the new bridge on Mongla road network would encourage land-locked neighbours to utilise the port more effectively. Our coastal patrol fleet has to be strengthened to control rampant smuggling (from ships; refer to the news item of siphoning of oil for daily kitchen-market shopping alongside river oil tankers).

Huge expenditure on development projects mean little, so long institutional corruption cannot be contained. The regime should talk more about invisible background services such as honesty, dedication, efficiency, and reduction of red tape and bribe culture.

The importance of our ports is evident from another angle: the factories in the developed countries are being relocated in the developing countries, due to high labour and other costs. Therefore the brain-drain from Bangladesh would be in the slow lane in the coming decades, and port activities would leap. Are we prepared with long-term projection planning exercises?