Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus today announced that a new city will emerge along the Maheshkhali-Matarbari coastlines, transforming the site of the ongoing deep seaport into a hub for Bangladesh’s blue economy.

“Not just a deep sea port—we must envision a blue economy. This area will evolve into a new city,” Prof Yunus said during a meeting with the Maheshkhali Integrated Development Authority (MIDA) at his official Jamuna residence.

He emphasized that the development would enhance international connectivity, declaring, “The sea will be our highway to the world.”

The meeting was attended by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman and MIDA Chief Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Commodore Tanzim Faruq, and M Sarwar Alam. Prof Yunus directed MIDA to establish a world-class training and research facility focused on deep-sea exploration and to collaborate with global experts if needed.

“We’ve never explored the ocean world. We need to discover what research exists and build our own,” he said, urging MIDA to collect international research and foster academic institutions dedicated to ocean studies.

Environmental sustainability was also a key focus, with discussions on developing an eco-tourism park and launching an afforestation campaign tailored to the region’s natural forest type. “We must plan the forest we want to see in the future,” Yunus added.

At the meeting, MIDA presented a phased action plan for the mega project, spanning three stages: 2025 to 2030, 2030 to 2045, and 2045 to 2055. Upon completion, the initiative is expected to generate employment for 2.5 million people and contribute $150 billion to Bangladesh’s GDP.

Chief Adviser’s Principal Coordinator on SDG Lamiya Morshed and Chief Adviser’s Office (CAO) Secretary M Saifullah Panna were also present at the meeting.

MN/