Gary Lye, CEO of Asia Energy Bangladesh, told a meeting that the company is considering three options in this regard. They may use a site of Mongla Port Authority at the railhead in Khulna or a green field site on the Rupsha river to the north or south of the city.

Khulna City Corporation Mayor Sheikh Tayebur Rahman, local government officials, representatives of Mongla Port Authority and journalists, among others, attended the meeting held at Hotel Castle Salam.

Lye was accompanied by Executive Director Bill McIntosh and other senior managers of Asia Energy.

Asia Energy's Phulbari coalmine in Dinajpur is set to produce 15 million tonnes of coal per annum. Of the production, up to eight million tonnes will be exported initially by rail service and later by barges to Akram Point, from where the freight will be loaded onto seagoing ships.

Lye said major dredging is a must for deep-water ships to reach Akram Point and this in turn will enable larger vessels to operate in and out of Mongla Port.

As a result, shipping costs for all commodities will be more economic, opening up Mongla and Khulna as a competitive port for worldwide trade. This will act as a stimulus for business development in the area, he explained.

In addition to Chittagong, Asia Energy will also use Mongla and Khulna to import diesel, giant trucks and diggers needed to work its open pit mines at Phulbari.

"Our operations here will generate several thousand permanent new Jobs. Mongla-Khulna, in partnership with Bangladesh Railway, will become the hub of a prosperous new transport corridor in western Bangladesh," Lye observed.

Asia Energy has submitted as Scheme of Development and Feasibility Study for the Phulbari mine and is awaiting final government on authorisation to start mining operations.