Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam informed Parliament on Wednesday that the government has no plans to hand over the Chittagong Port to any foreign operator.
The minister made this clarification while responding to a starred question tabled by ruling party lawmaker Md Shahadat Hossain, representing the Lakshmipur-1 constituency.
Rabiul explained that operators are appointed specifically for terminal management through the Public-Private Partnership Authority (PPPA) or under government-issued or approved frameworks.
He noted that both domestic and foreign operators are eligible for consideration in these instances.
The minister further stated that various terminals are currently being managed by both local and foreign operators to enhance Chittagong port capacity, keeping pace with modernisation and the continued growth of the nation’s import-export trade.
As an example, he cited the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT), which is currently managed by a foreign operator.
Additionally, an agreement has been signed under the PPP model with APM Terminals BV – a subsidiary of the Denmark-based Maersk Group – for the construction and operation of the Laldia Container Terminal at Laldia Char, situated on the right bank of the Karnaphuli River.
