Staff Correspondent

Rear Admiral Arif Ahmed Mostafa, NUP, ndc, afwc, psc, BN, officially assumed operational charge as the new Chairman of the Mongla Port Authority (MPA) today, Sunday (June 7). 

 He succeeds the outgoing Chairman, Rear Admiral Shahin Rahman.

The formal transition of authority took place at the MPA headquarters, where the newly appointed Chairman officially took over the reigns from the Acting Chairman of the Mongla Port Authority, Commodore Md. Shofiqul Islam Sarker, (G), psc, BN. Prior to his new posting at the country's second-largest maritime seaport, Rear Admiral Arif Ahmed Mostafa served as the Chairman of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA).

Immediately after taking office, the new Chairman presided over an introductory exchange-of-views meeting at the MPA conference room. The high-level orientation was attended by all board members, departmental heads, officials of the 9th grade and above, representatives from the Officers' Association, and members of the CBA Ad-hoc Committee. During the briefing, the Acting Chairman apprised the incoming chief of the port’s ongoing development blueprints, unfinished infrastructure ventures, and overall master plans.

Reviewing the port's logistical and operational frameworks, Rear Admiral Mostafa provided comprehensive guidelines and future action plans aimed at accelerating port development. He strictly directed all officers and employees to work cohesively as a team while diligently honoring their professional responsibilities and religious values.

The new MPA chief noted that minimizing bureaucratic complexities within administrative workflows will seamlessly optimize the port's broader maritime operations. Furthermore, he directed the workforce to prioritize mechanisms that boost institutional revenue while heavily enforcing austerity measures to minimize unnecessary expenditures. Highlighting the importance of public-private collaboration, he expressed his intent to host an emergency meeting with port users and stakeholders at the earliest to further catalyze trade efficiency.

Brief Profile of Rear Admiral Arif Ahmed Mostafa : 

Rear Admiral Arif Ahmed Mostafa embarked on his military career by joining the Bangladesh Navy in 1990 and subsequently received his commission in the Executive Branch in 1992. On the academic front, he secured his Bachelor of Science degree with Distinction from the University of Chittagong and later completed his Master's degree in Military Studies from the Bangladesh University of Professionals (BUP). He is an alumnus of the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Mirpur, the National Defense College (NDC) in Mirpur, and the prestigious National Defence College in Nigeria.

Throughout his illustrious and decorated naval career spanning over 30 years, Rear Admiral Mostafa has amassed extensive operational expertise across diverse command, instructional, and staff roles. A seasoned naval officer, he commanded two frontline guided-missile frigates of the Bangladesh Navy, serving as the Captain of BNS Omar Farooq and BNS Somudra Joy. Notably, he was the Commissioning Captain of BNS Durjoy and the Decommissioning Captain of BNS Omar Farooq.

Over his decades at sea, Rear Admiral Mostafa also successfully commanded the patrol crafts BNS Farid, BNS Testa, and BNS Meghna, the Large Patrol Craft (LPC) BNS Durjoy, the Offshore Patrol Vessel (OPV) BNS Shaheed Ruhul Amin (SR Amin), and the premier naval shore establishment BNS Haji Mohsin.