Ctg workers party warns against handing over port's NCT operations without international tender

The Chattogram district unit of the Workers Party of Bangladesh has expressed deep concern over reports that the interim government is taking steps to hand over the operations of the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at the port to Dubai-based company DP World without initiating an international tender.

The party warned that such a move would compromise national interests and undermine transparency.

In a statement issued today (19 June), the Chattogram district committee of the Workers Party said that bypassing a competitive international bidding process to award the terminal's operations to a foreign company raises serious questions about the transparency of the interim government. "This could have long-term consequences for the country's strategic economic infrastructure," the statement said.

The committee emphasised that Chattogram Port, despite losing some of its navigability and becoming increasingly inefficient and costly, still holds immense potential to become a key regional hub. It pointed out the port's geographic significance, particularly in serving India's Seven Sisters states, Nepal, Bhutan, and China's Kunming region.

The Workers Party also warned that if infrastructural development at other critical port projects, such as the Matarbari deep-sea port, Bay Terminal, and Laldiar Char Terminal, is not balanced and well-planned, Bangladesh's future import-export capacity could be severely compromised.

The committee further argued that the primary goal of both public and private management should be to ensure optimal utilisation of national resources, maintain international standards, and generate employment. Citing international data, the party expressed concern that DP World has a track record of mass layoffs at ports it operates globally, which contradicts the promise of creating adequate jobs through foreign investment.

Calling for transparency and accountability, the district committee urged the interim government not to proceed with awarding the NCT's operations to DP World without ensuring open bidding and public scrutiny. The committee ultimately stressed that such a nationally significant decision should not be made by an unelected interim government, and must instead be left to a democratically elected administration.