Bangladesh has inaugurated the Matarbari Deep Sea Port, marking a major milestone for regional trade and connectivity. For the first time in South Asia, mother vessels will be able to berth directly at a jetty, reducing reliance on costly transshipment. Officials say the port will not only strengthen Bangladesh’s trade capacity but also offer India’s northeastern states faster, more economical access to global markets.
The port is being developed on Maheshkhali Island near Cox’s Bazar under the Japan-backed Moheshkhali–Matarbari Integrated Development Initiative (MIDI). Envisioned as a vast commercial ecosystem, MIDI combines port infrastructure with power generation, energy terminals, free trade zones, and industrial hubs. At its core is a 2,400 MW coal-fired power project, of which 1,200 MW is already in operation. The deep-water channel built to supply the plant has now been expanded into a full-fledged maritime gateway.
A new Matarbari Deep Sea Port Authority has been established to oversee operations. By 2030, the port will accommodate two vessels simultaneously, with 48-hour turnaround times. Japanese contractors Penta Ocean and Nippon are executing the works. With a natural depth of 18.5 metres, the port will be capable of handling both bulk carriers and container ships, bypassing the multiple handling steps currently required at Chittagong Port.
Over the next two to three decades, the project is expected to attract $60–65 billion in investment, including nearly $48 billion in private capital and $4.8 billion in targeted FDI. Projections suggest it could contribute $150 billion to GDP, create 150,000 direct jobs, and generate as many as 2.5 million indirect jobs.
Plans also include a Free Trade Zone and a dedicated fish processing hub, with the long-term ambition of transforming the Moheshkhali–Cox’s Bazar corridor into a “new Singapore” by 2060. Once fully operational, Matarbari is expected to handle a quarter of Bangladesh’s bulk cargo and nearly half of its container traffic.
