The Chattogram Port Nationalist Workers’ Party and the Bondar Rokkha Shongram Porishad held a protest rally and procession on Sunday, demanding that the government halt the proposed leasing of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to foreign operators.
The procession was held in the port area in the afternoon, led by Nationalist Workers’ Party and Bondar Rokkha Shongram Porishad leaders Humayun Kabir and Ibrahim Khokon.
Protesters carried banners, festoons and placards displaying slogans including “Stop Privatisation,” “DP World Go Back,” and “If the Port Survives, the Country Survives; Bangladesh First.”
Addressing the rally, Humayun Kabir said their primary demand was that no part of Chattogram Port be handed over to a foreign company.
“We will not allow any part of Chattogram Port to be handed over to foreigners. We urge the government to reconsider its position regarding the proposed involvement of DP World in operating the NCT,” he said.
He also claimed that the port had continued to achieve strong performance in container handling and argued that the NCT should remain under national management.
“We want our port to be managed by our own people. Chattogram Port is setting records in container handling. We will not accept the NCT being handed over to DP World,” Kabir said.
Ibrahim Khokon said the protesters were seeking to communicate their concerns to the government through democratic means.
“We believe the government will not take any decision that goes against the interests of the state. Chattogram Port is a national asset belonging to the people of Bangladesh. The country’s economy, security and future employment opportunities are closely connected with this port,” he said.
Khokon claimed that leasing the NCT to a foreign operator could affect employment at the port, alleging that around 1,000 port workers could lose their jobs.
He urged the government to consider the economic and security implications before taking any decision on the proposed lease.
“In the interest of national security and the economy, we urge the government not to hand over the port to foreign operators,” he said.
The organisers also announced further programmes against the proposed lease.
Khokon said a protest rally and procession would be held next Saturday, October 3, at the Shaheed Minar premises near Gate No. 12 of Chattogram Port.
