CPA signs 22-year deal with Swiss firm Medlog to operate Pangaon Terminal

The Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) has entered into a 22-year concession agreement with Switzerland-based logistics operator Medlog SA to run and manage the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT) in Keraniganj, Dhaka – a move seen as a significant step towards modernising Bangladesh’s inland logistics sector.

The agreement was signed on Monday, November 17, at the InterContinental Dhaka. 

CPA Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman and Medlog Bangladesh Managing Director ATM Anisul Millat signed the contract on behalf of their respective organisations.

Shipping Adviser M Sakhawat Hossain, who attended the ceremony as chief guest, described the deal as a milestone in the evolution of the country’s port management framework.

“The management agreement for the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal marks the beginning of a new chapter in Bangladesh’s logistics and trade infrastructure. This investment will primarily benefit future generations who aspire to build a new Bangladesh,” he said.

Under the agreement, Medlog — through its local subsidiary Medlog Bangladesh — will oversee terminal operations, upgrade facilities and introduce automation systems. The company will leverage its global supply chain expertise to improve operational efficiency and support sustainable sector growth.

Medlog plans to expand the terminal’s annual handling capacity to 160,000 TEUs, while providing inland barges to link Pangaon with maritime ports and strengthen multimodal transport networks. The barges will also carry bulk cargo, while trucks, covered vans and temperature-controlled vehicles will widen distribution channels nationwide.

The modernisation plans for the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal include the installation of two mobile harbour cranes, dedicated reefer points with uninterrupted power supply, an empty container storage and repair yard, a 10,000 square metre container freight station for stuffing and stripping, and the development of adjacent land for warehousing and dry storage.

Industry stakeholders expect the partnership to reduce transport bottlenecks, shorten delivery lead times and lower logistics costs for exporters and importers, particularly those in the garment and manufacturing sectors.

Located just three kilometres from the Dhaka-Mawa-Bhanga Expressway, the Pangaon terminal is seen as a strategic component in easing pressure on Chattogram port’s inland transport systems.

Officials expressed optimism that the Medlog agreement will accelerate Bangladesh’s ambition to position itself as a regional logistics hub.