A citizens’ group in Chattogram has announced a protest procession on 31 August against any move to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) to domestic or foreign companies.
The announcement came at a citizens’ convention organised by the Bondar Rokkha Committee, Chattogram, at the July Hall of Chattogram Press Club on Sunday.
The committee also announced a public outreach programme from 17 to 30 August to mobilise support from people across professions and social groups before the protest march.
Bondar Rokkha Committee President Engineer Delwar Majumder chaired the convention, while Member Secretary Fazlul Kabir Mintu moderated the event. Representatives from political, labour, professional and social organisations attended the programme.
Speaking at the convention, Port and National Resources Protection Committee Convener M Abu Sayeed said Chattogram Port is a strategic national asset linked directly to the country’s economy and interests.
He said any decision to lease port terminals to local or foreign companies for a long period should be assessed based on its economic, strategic and national implications.
Poet and journalist Abul Momen said Chattogram Port is one of the key drivers of the national economy and questioned whether leasing important terminals would serve the national interest compared with expanding the port’s own capacity and revenue.
Nationalist Workers’ Party Chattogram divisional committee President A M Nazim Uddin said the interests of port workers and communities dependent on port activities should be protected. He called for a broader movement involving workers and the public against any move to lease the terminals.
Liberation War researcher Mahfuzur Rahman said Chattogram Port is the “heart” of the country’s economy and decisions involving major facilities such as NCT and CCT should consider long-term economic consequences and national interests.
Other speakers called for prioritising port expansion, revenue generation, workers’ rights and employment opportunities in any decision regarding port facilities. They warned that any non-transparent process would face public resistance.
The committee said further programmes would be announced in phases to expand the movement against the proposed leasing of NCT and CCT.
