Chittagong Port Protection Committee: Minister’s claim that port management was ‘stagnant’ is detached from reality

The Chittagong Port Protection Committee has described Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam’s statement that the management of Chittagong Port was “at a stagnant stage” and that the way had been opened for foreign companies to overcome the situation as detached from reality and misleading.
In a statement on Friday (September 25), Committee Convener Engineer Delwar Majumdar and Member Secretary Fazlul Kabir Mintu urged the government to refrain from leasing any operational, important and profitable terminal at Chittagong Port to foreign companies on a long-term basis in the national interest.
They said the claim that the port’s operations were “stagnant” did not reflect reality. According to the committee, workers, employees, officials, engineers and skilled local manpower have kept the port operational for years while continuously improving its container and cargo handling capacity.
The committee said port workers have continued operations despite adverse weather, maritime warning signals and other challenging conditions. It attributed the port’s continued growth in revenue and handling operations to the experience and hard work of its local workforce.
The committee leaders said modernisation, technological development and capacity expansion are necessary, but these goals do not justify handing over important and profitable container terminals to foreign companies through long-term leases.
They clarified that they do not oppose obtaining foreign technology, technical expertise or management support when necessary. However, they said strategic control of the country’s key port infrastructure should not be handed over to foreign companies on a long-term basis.
They also called for a transparent and impartial assessment of the port’s capacity, revenue, cargo and container handling and the efficiency of its local management before any such decision is taken.
The committee said initiatives to lease important facilities such as the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) to foreign companies on a long-term basis have raised concerns. It urged the government to protect public and national interests in any decision concerning the port.
“We want modernisation, technological development and increased capacity, but not at the cost of national interests and state control,” the committee leaders said, adding that local workers, officials, engineers and skilled manpower should be involved in the port’s development.
They said their movement against long-term leases of important and profitable port facilities to foreign companies would continue.
A day-long sit-in will be held in front of the Chittagong Port building on October 5 as part of intensified programmes.
The committee, along with workers’ and employees’ organisations, labour alliances, political parties and social and professional organisations, has been conducting protests demanding the cancellation of the initiative to lease the NCT to foreign company DP World on a long-term basis. The programmes have included protest marches, torch processions, blockades, sit-ins, rallies, a memorandum to the Prime Minister, a march towards Chittagong Port and seminars.