Warning to shut down Chattogram Port immediately after agreement

Leaders of the Port Protection Movement have warned that they will shut down operations at Chattogram Port on October 8 if the initiative to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) of Chattogram Port to a foreign company is not canceled.

If that fails, the organization has announced a series of programs to press home their demands, including a torchlight procession and besiege the port building and keep the chairman locked-up.

The announcements were made at around 11:20 a.m. Monday during a sit-in outside the port’s administrative building. The Chattogram Port Protection Committee organized the program. Leaders of port-based workers’ and employees’ organizations joined the program. Leaders of the government-backed labor wing and various political organizations also took part.

Due to the program, vehicular movement toward the port’s administrative building remained idle until 1:30 p.m. Police, members of the port security department, other law enforcement agencies and intelligence agencies were present at the scene.

Ibrahim Khokon, joint coordinator of the Port Protection Struggle Council, said, “We have heard that an agreement may be signed with DP World on October 8 to lease the NCT. If that happens, Chattogram Port will be shut down immediately after the agreement is signed.” Expressing such concern, he urged the government to reconsider the decision.

Fazlul Kabir Mintu, member secretary of the Port Protection Committee, said, “At a time when the government is facing major challenges such as economic restructuring, job creation and increasing investment, it must explain to the public why it is in such a hurry to lease strategic infrastructure like the NCT and CCT for the long term.”

Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, organizing secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, said the current port chairman is working in the interests of DP World. He said the chairman was desperate to lease the port to DP World and urged the government to remove him from the post.

Humayun Kabir, a leader of the Jatiyatabadi Bandar Sramik Dal, said, “We had hoped that the government would stop the initiative to lease the NCT and make a decision after discussions with workers’ representatives. But we are disappointed.”

Tapan Dutta, president of the Trade Union Centre (TUC), announced, “The Chattogram port chairman’s office will be surrounded on October 13 to press home our demands. He will not be allowed to leave the office.”

Taslim Hossain Selim, general secretary of the Dock Workers’ Party, said, “The government will have to explain to us about leasing the port to foreigners; otherwise, we will take matters into our own hands. We will no longer sit idle like this.”

The organization’s leaders have announced a torchlight procession from in front of the port building at 6 p.m. on October 7 and a program to surround the port building on October 13, demanding an end to the leasing of the NCT and CCT to foreign companies.
Sh M Jamal Uddin, central organizing secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, said there are concerns that if the responsibility for operating the port is handed over to foreigners, they may take away a large portion of the earnings while paying only nominal taxes. If the port is operated by local personnel, its revenues will remain in the country’s economy.

SK Khoda Toton, president of the Bangladesh Sramik Federation; Md. Harun, president of the Dock Workers’ Party; Ashok Saha, president of the Chattogram district unit of the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB); Shafiuddin Kabir Abid, coordinator of the Chattogram district unit of BASD Marxist; Raja Mia, coordinator of the Ganomukti Union; Robiul Haque Shimul, joint coordinator of SCOP Chattogram; Iftekhar Kamal Khan, joint secretary of TUC Chattogram district; Hasibur Rahman Biplob, member secretary of the Chattogram Youth Trade Union Network; Md. Iqbal, president of the Lashing-Unlashing Workers’ Union; Nur Hossain, general secretary of the Merchant Workers’ Struggle Council; and Imam Hossain Khokon, former president of the Winch Operators’ Workers’ Union, among leaders of various workers’ and professional organizations, were present at the program.