Concerns Over Plan to Lease Chattogram Port’s NCT–CCT to Foreign Firms
Chattogram Port is the main gateway to Bangladesh’s economy and the country’s foreign trade hub. As most imports and exports pass through the port, its operation is closely linked to the country’s economy, industrialization, employment, energy security and national security. Speakers at a discussion meeting in Dhaka on Friday expressed concern over the initiative to hand over the operation of the port’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) to foreign firms on a concession basis.
The discussion, titled “Leasing Chattogram Port’s NCT–CCT: The Future of Bangladesh’s Economy, National Security and Sovereignty,” was held at the National Press Club. The Port Protection Committee organized the meeting.
Speakers said the initiative to lease the NCT is not new. The process began during the previous Awami League government. Although the interim government cancelled or reviewed various decisions of the previous government after taking office, it continued efforts to advance the NCT leasing process for unexplained reasons.
They said the NCT and CCT are state-owned assets built with Bangladesh’s own financing and have long been successfully operated by local personnel. Given the existing infrastructure, equipment and operational capacity, they questioned the need to hand over their long-term operation to foreign operators.
They also said container-handling charges had been increased by nearly 37 percent even before the final lease agreement. The increase would raise import and export costs and could ultimately affect industrial production and consumer prices.
Speakers further said Chattogram Port is located in a strategically important area, with naval bases, Air Force installations, Eastern Refinery and energy infrastructure in its vicinity. As port operations involve commercial information, vessel movements, supply systems and critical national infrastructure, they stressed that national and information security must receive the highest priority in any long-term operating agreement.
Ruhin Hossain Prince, former general secretary of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), said no one had so far been able to prove that handing Chattogram Port to foreign operators would benefit Bangladesh economically or strengthen national security. “People will not accept pandering to any foreign power at the expense of national interests. Withdraw from the initiative for this agreement immediately,” he said.
Bajlur Rashid Firoz, general secretary of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (BASD), said the NCT has limited scope for major modernization because of its geographical constraints. Operations could continue for many years with the existing equipment, he said. “The idea that the port’s capacity will automatically increase simply because a foreign operator takes over is also questionable,” Mr Firoz said.
M. M. Akash, former chairman of the Department of Economics at the University of Dhaka, described Chattogram Port as the “nerve center” of Bangladesh. He said a large portion of the country’s GDP is linked to international trade and that the Bay of Bengal and Chattogram Port are strategically important in the current geopolitical context. “Therefore, such an agreement needs to be thoroughly evaluated in light of national interests,” he said.
M. A. Sayeed, convener of the Port Protection and Anti-Corridor Movement, chaired the meeting. He said national interests, sovereignty and economic security must receive the highest priority in any decision concerning Chattogram Port. He called for political parties, workers, professionals and the general public to unite to protect the port, saying it was time to build broad-based national unity to safeguard the country’s strategic assets.
Delwar Majumdar, convener of the Chattogram chapter of the Port Protection Committee, read out a written statement at the meeting.
The meeting was moderated by Mahir Shahriar Reza, central president of a faction of Bangladesh Chhatra Union.
Among others, journalist Abu Saeed Khan; Anwarul Islam Babu and Iftekhar Kamal Khan, members of the Standing Committee of Bangladesh Jasad; Tapan Dutta, president of the Chattogram district branch of the Trade Union; Nurullah Bahar, general secretary of Chattogram CBA; Taslim Hossain Selim, a leader of the Dock Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal; Abu Taher Khan Bhuiyan, former director of BSCIC; and Mashiuddoula, a member of the Chattogram district branch of the CPB, attended the meeting.
