There is bright prospect of private sector participation in improving port services in Mongla and Chittagong and in handling container services in the ports and other areas. The cargo handling in Chittagong port, which handles 80 percent of the country's export-import trade, often comes to a halt because of mismanagement and strident unionism. The shippers on an average have to count a loss of extra 5,000 dollars every day in operational costs for each stranded ship.

Given the delays and congestions at ports, leading to extensive demurrage charges for ships, ways of improving port productivity through better management systems and infrastructure developments have been considered.

There are numerous objectives of privatisation. First, privatisation would attract new foreign direct investment, which would increase productivity and competitiveness. The investments would bring the port services up to international levels of efficiency. Second, privatisation would increase trade at the national and regional levels, and directly or indirectly create jobs. Finally, introducing market based labour reform would reduce port labour costs on the public budget.

However, better cooperation is expected from all concerned governmental organisations in order to create a competitive ambience in the commercial ports across the country.

Let's not procrastinate over the massive reforms of our port and cargo handling system before it gets totally bogged down.