Indian DP World officials visit Chattogram port, raising concerns over lease process
PARBATTA NEWS DESK
A delegation of 34 officials from Dubai-based logistics company DP World, including 21 Indian nationals, entered the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) in Chattogram last month, drawing strong reactions from port workers and union leaders as debate over the facility’s proposed lease intensifies, Ajker Patrika has learned.
The terminal, a strategic maritime asset built with local funding, is currently under consideration for foreign operational management. But, according to senior officials interviewed by Ajker Patrika, the lease agreement has not yet been finalised, and negotiations are still ongoing under a government-to-government (G2G) framework.
Despite this, DP World personnel were granted access to the terminal for what has been described as preliminary observation and inspection. Their presence inside the terminal, prior to a formal handover, has generated fears of job insecurity among current port workers, the Dhaka-based news outlet reported.
Worker organisations responded sharply to the development. “DP World has not yet received the lease, yet their officials are walking through the facility,” said Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, general secretary of the Jatiotabadi Shramik Dal — the labour wing of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), which many political observers believe is positioned to return to power in the upcoming general election — in an interview with the publication. “This is a matter of serious concern.”
According to documents reviewed by Ajker Patrika, DP World’s Deputy General Manager Tanvir Hossain applied for gate pass access to the port on April 15. The next day, the Chattogram Port Authority granted permission for entry. Alongside the Indian nationals, the delegation included individuals from South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Finland, Pakistan, and Bangladesh.
Speaking to the paper, Md Ibrahim Khokon, chief coordinator of the Jatiotabadi Shramik Dal at the port, said some DP World staff had already begun inspecting rooms and machinery, in some cases stating their operational intent. “They are claiming space before any lease has been signed,” he said. “We find this unacceptable.”
According to reporting by Ajker Patrika, union leaders have issued a public ultimatum to the government: cancel the foreign lease by June 16, or face a four-hour work stoppage on June 22, scheduled from 9am to 1pm.
The NCT began operations in 2007 and was constructed at a cost of approximately Tk 8,000 crore through local funding. It currently handles over 55 per cent of Bangladesh’s container cargo, generating more than Tk 1,000 crore annually, officials told the publication. It is widely regarded as one of the most profitable and modern terminals under Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) management.
Despite its high revenue and local control, the Ministry of Shipping had moved forward with plans to lease the terminal to a foreign operator during the previous government’s tenure. A transaction adviser had been appointed through the PPP Authority to advance the agreement, according to officials familiar with the matter. Those plans are now under review by the interim administration, Ajker Patrika confirmed.
The current operational contract with Saif Powertec is set to expire on July 6. The port authority has reportedly written to the Ministry of Shipping seeking direction on future management of the terminal. “We are awaiting guidance,” said Md Nasir Uddin, acting secretary of the port, in comments to the news outlet.
DP World’s country CEO, Shamim Ul Haque, could not be reached for comment despite multiple attempts, Ajker Patrika reported.
Analysts interviewed by the outlet described the entry of 21 Indian nationals into a key Bangladeshi maritime facility as geopolitically sensitive. Given recent diplomatic tensions and Chattogram Port’s regional significance, observers say the issue may carry broader strategic implications.
The newspaper has also confirmed that legal challenges have been filed contesting the legitimacy of leasing the NCT to a foreign company. Those cases remain pending before the courts.
For now, all eyes are on the government’s next move. According to port and political insiders who spoke on condition of anonymity, June 16 and June 22 are likely to be pivotal in determining whether the government proceeds with foreign operational management or retains the terminal under domestic control.
