Police dispersed a protest in Dhaka’s Agargaon on Thursday against an agreement allowing United Arab Emirates-based DP World to operate Chittagong Port’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT), with demonstrators alleging that several activists were injured in a baton charge.
Activists from several organisations, including the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) and the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (Basad), gathered outside the Invest Bangladesh office from around 2pm to oppose the agreement.
Police moved to disperse the demonstrators at around 2:45pm. Protest organisers alleged that officers used batons to break up the gathering, while police denied assaulting anyone.
Speaking at the rally, CPB President Sajjad Zahir Chandan said protesters had gathered outside the building, formerly the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), under the banner of the Anti-Imperialist and Anti-War Alliance.
He described the agreement with DP World as tantamount to “selling Bangladesh”.
Chandan alleged that DP World had links with the United States Navy, claiming that information about the connection was available on the company’s website.
He argued that allowing the company to operate NCT would enable the United States to interfere directly in Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty and gain access to the country’s seaports and airports.
Following the incident, the CPB alleged that police carried out a heavy baton charge on peaceful protesters, injuring several leaders and activists, including Chandan.
However, Sher-e-Bangla Nagar Police Station Officer-in-Charge Monirul Islam Monir rejected the allegations of police assault.
He said demonstrators had lain down in front of vehicles carrying ministers, members of parliament and other people outside the Invest Bangladesh office, obstructing their movement.
Police were compelled to remove the protesters to clear the way, he said, insisting that no one was struck with batons.
Meanwhile, the Chittagong Port Authority and DP World signed a 15-year concession agreement on Thursday to operate and modernise NCT. Under the agreement, ownership of the terminal’s land and infrastructure will remain with the government.
