‘Foreign control’ over Chattogram Port terminals part of ‘long-term conspiracy’, says rally

A rally in Chattogram has alleged that plans to hand over the city’s port terminals to foreign companies are part of “a long-term imperialist conspiracy” centred on Bangladesh’s hill regions.

The protest was held on Saturday afternoon at Agrabad intersection under the banner of “Workers, Students, Professionals and Citizens of Chattogram to Save the Port”.

It was organised to oppose what the organisers called a “plot” to hand over profitable Chattogram Port terminals to foreign firms.

Speakers at the gathering warned of tough action to resist what they described as a “deep-rooted conspiracy”.

Freedom fighter and Gonomukti Union President Raja Miah said, “Chattogram Port is profitable and fully capable of managing its operations. Yet, under the guise of business interests and the long-term plans of international imperialists in the hill region, a conspiracy is under way to hand over the New Mooring Terminal and Laldia Char to foreign hands.”

“To ensure this deal faces no resistance, the interim government has banned all rallies and gatherings in the port area for one month. The Awami League government had already arranged to hand over the New Mooring Terminal to DP World without any tender process,” he said.

Raja questioned, “Even after the Uprising, why is the Awami League’s plot still being implemented? The government must answer that.”

Trade Union Council President Khorshed Alam said, “Today, workers, professionals, students, and citizens of Chattogram have united to save the port. If needed, we will announce stronger programmes to resist this anti-national activity.”

Joint Coordinator of the Workers’ Employee Unity Council Rizwanur Rahman said, “Chattogram port earns more than Tk 25 billion in annual profit. Yet before handing it over to foreign companies, the government raised the port tariff by 41 percent to secure its profits.”

“Strategic national assets like Chattogram Port must be operated by national institutions, not by foreign or private entities,” he said.

BaSaD (Marxist) District Coordinator Shafiuddin Kabir Abid said, “An interim government has neither the authority nor the justification to lease out port terminals. Given the port’s strategic location, the issue is directly tied to national sovereignty and security.”

“The way the current government is rushing the decision without consulting anyone raises serious doubts about whose agenda it is actually implementing,” he added.

Ibrahim Khokon, secretary of the Port Nationalist Workers’ Party, said: “Unlike other countries, Bangladesh does not have multiple ports. The one port that handles most of our imports and exports should never be handed over to foreign companies.”