City Reporter: State Minister for Shipping MP Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury inaugurated and handed over two fixed export-oriented container scanners newly collected by the Chittagong Port Authority. Today, Saturday, February 17, at 1:00 p.m., the auspicious inauguration and handing over of the container scanner were held under the chairmanship of Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail, Chairman of the Port Authority, in the area adjacent to JT Gate No. 4 of the port.
In the opening ceremony, State Minister for Shipping MP Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury said that under this project, 2 sets of container scanners, 2 sets of radio active portal monitors, 4 image monitoring centers, and real-time CCTV systems have been installed at 2 export-facing gates (GCB-4 and CPAR) at Chittagong port. . This will lead to automated security assurance, reduction of commercial costs, and monitoring by multi-agency agencies, i.e., the Chittagong Port Authority, the National Board of Revenue, Customs House Chittagong, and NSI, instead of a manual cargo inspection process.
Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail said Chittagong Port is a first-class KPI and ISPS Code Compliance Port. With the aim of improving the security and international image of exportable products through non-invasive inspection at Chittagong Port, the installation of this scanner started in 2019 under the patronage of the Hon’ble Prime Minister.
He said that later in 2021, according to the decision of the ECNEC meeting, the Chittagong Port Authority’s own financing of two scanner purchase projects (DPP was approved by the Ministry of Shipping in 2022. The project was completed on December 27, 2023, after a long procurement process in this series. The estimated cost of the project is Rs. Ninety-nine million, three lakh thirty-six thousand, and the contract price is Rs. eighty-five million, ninety-nine lakh, thirty-five thousand, two hundred only. The project duration is March 2022–December 2023.
After today’s handover process, Chittagong Custom House will start commercial use of two scanners. However, in order to ensure greater security, related organizations, including the port security department, will have read-only access.
The event was attended by the senior secretary of the Ministry of Shipping, Md. Mustafa Kamal, and Chittagong Zilla Parishad Chairman ATM Payrul Islam Chowdhury, Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral Mohammad Sohail, OSP, NUP, PPM, PSC, invited distinguished guests, port users, officers, and employees of Chabak, and leaders of scanner suppliers.
