Matarbari

On 9 August 2026 the prime minister flew to Matarbari in Maheshkhali on his first visit since taking office, to inspect the deep-sea port, the coal-fired power project and the work of the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority.

Reported in April 2025: the government approved in principle building the proposed 1,000 mmcfd land-based LNG terminal near Matarbari Deep Sea Port through a public-private partnership.

Originally reported in April 2025: CPA signed a deal with a Japanese joint venture to build Matarbari's first terminal, a 460m container jetty and 300m multipurpose jetty estimated at Tk 6,196.67 crore.

At their 27 October summit in Tokyo, Prime Ministers Tarique Rahman and Sanae Takaichi agreed to develop the Matarbari-Maheshkhali area, centred on the deep-sea port, under an upgraded 'BIG-B for Shared Prosperity' initiative.

CPA officials say the Matarbari deep-sea port will add 2.8 million TEUs of capacity, taking Chattogram port's total to about 6 million TEUs by 2030 together with the Bay Terminal.

The Chittagong Port Authority has started maintenance dredging of the Matarbari channel in Maheshkhali to restore depth lost to silt, using the trailing suction hopper dredger King Copper.