However, the setting up of such jetties on the right bank will be allowed under special consideration only.

Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) is about to finalise a policy titled 'Wooden, Steel-structure and RCC-structure Jetty Approval Related Policy 2007' for this purpose, said the port sources.

The draft of the policy has already been prepared and would be sent to PICOM (Private Infrastructure Committee) soon.

The policy might be published in the Gazette following the approval of PICOM, they added.

Meanwhile, many feared that the new policy proposing for private jetties on the right bank of the river under special consideration might create a scope for setting up private port there.

They mentioned that an attempt by the Stevedoring Services of America (SSA) BD Ltd to construct a private port on the right bank sparked a huge protest in the past and it was not successful due to an injunction by the court.

They also alleged that a local business group is now desperate to set up a private port on the right bank.

The new policy might pave the way for setting up a private port by that group and by others in future, feared the port experts.

They observed that private port on the right bank of the Karnaphuli might pose a security threat to Key-Point Installations (KPI) like Shah Amanat International Airport, Oil installations, Zahurul Haq Air Base and Bangladesh Naval Academy.

Besides, any private port at the downstream of the Karnaphuli would surely discourage the vessels in reporting at Chittagong port, which is around nine KM off the estuary, forcing a serious vessel crisis for the port, they added.

CPA sources said the draft of the new policy proposed for keeping the left bank of the Karnaphuli open for construction of wooden jetties and steel-structure jetties suitable for berthing coaster vessels of a capacity not over 500 tons, and RCC jetties for berthing ocean-going vessels with a length up to 200 meters.

The draft also proposed for keeping the right bank of the river reserved for construction of jetties by CPA while leaving a scope for making application for setting up private jetties on special consideration.

The experts have criticised the scope and opined that if any jetty is constructed on the right bank of the Karnaphuli it has to be done by CPA keeping the national as well as port security in mind.

According to CPA sources, the government is thinking of allowing private jetties on both banks of the Karnaphuli in consideration of increasing cargo-handling activities of Chittagong port and its future need.

They said the cargo handling at Chittagong port is increasing at the rate of 14 percent.

They said the increasing cargo handling could hardly be tackled with the existing capacity of all the 15 jetties, seven lighter jetties and six mooring jetties and silos at Chittagong port and those of Kafco, TSP, CUFL and ERL.

Enhancement of efficiency might enable the port to tackle the increasing pressure of the cargo handling for the next 20 years, but beyond that it will not be possible without constructing new terminal, they added.

Keeping the future need in mind the government is thinking of allowing private jetties, said the sources.

The policy won't create scope for setting up any private port in the downstream of the Karnaphuli as the private jetties with measurement determined by CPA would only allow berthing of domestic vessels, said Captain Yahiya Sayeed while talking to The Daily Star on Tuesday.

License would be issued on condition of its renewal after one year for construction of private RCC-structure jetties on BOT (Build, Operate and Transfer) basis, he added.

According to sources, the license fee has been fixed at Tk 5 lakh for RCC jetty, Tk 3 lakh for steel jetty and Tk 1 lakh for wooden jetty.

The license fees would be increased by 10 percent after every five years.

To ensure that no river erosion takes place or no hindrance is created to normal flow of the river and movement of vessel, plan for such jetty will have to be approved by CPA after Mathematical Model Study and necessary survey through Buet (Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology), they added.