B Mirror Report: DP World, a Dubai-based logistics company, has signed a 15-year agreement to operate and maintain the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram Port, amid protests and opposition from a section of port workers.
The agreement was signed between the Chattogram Port Authority (CPA) and DP World at the Invest Bangladesh office in Agargaon, Dhaka, at 3:30 pm on Thursday, October 8. Invest Bangladesh facilitated the agreement.
Under the deal, DP World will be responsible for operating, maintaining and repairing equipment at the terminal for the next 15 years. However, ownership of the terminal will remain with the Chattogram Port Authority. The contract may be extended for another 15 years if both parties agree.
According to Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam, the government will receive Tk 10 crore annually, along with 67% of the revenue collected under the agreement. DP World will invest $150 million in modernising the terminal, while Bangladesh will receive Tk 600 crore as signing money, the minister said.
The government expects the agreement to improve the terminal’s operational capacity, introduce modern technology, expand trade and reduce vessel waiting times. The authorities also believe the investment will help increase import and export activities.
The minister clarified that handing over container-handling operations does not mean leasing out the entire port. Ownership, security and overall management responsibilities will remain with the Chattogram Port Authority, the National Board of Revenue, customs authorities, intelligence agencies and security forces.
The NCT is one of the most important container terminals at Chattogram Port. Built in 2007 at a cost of around Tk 2,000 crore, it has five jetties and handles nearly half of the port’s total container traffic.
DP World’s involvement in operating the terminal has been under discussion since 2019. In March 2023, the government gave in-principle approval to appoint an international operator under the public-private partnership (PPP) framework.
Previous efforts to finalise an agreement with DP World were suspended in February this year following strong opposition and strikes by port workers ahead of the national election. After the BNP government took office, negotiations resumed. On October 1, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs gave in-principle approval to the draft 15-year agreement.
The terminal was previously operated for an extended period by local company Saif Powertec Limited. Its contract expired on July 6, 2025, and the following day, Chittagong Dry Dock Limited, operated by the Bangladesh Navy, took over operations.
Despite the new agreement, a section of port workers and employees continues to oppose foreign management of the terminal. On Thursday, representatives of several organisations staged a protest outside the Invest Bangladesh office in Dhaka, where the agreement was signed.
Workers have organised hunger strikes, rallies and demonstrations over the past several months, arguing that a strategically important facility handling the country’s international trade should remain under domestic management.
Humayun Kabir, coordinator of the Port Protection Movement Council, expressed concern that appointing a foreign operator could increase costs and put pressure on the country’s foreign currency reserves through commissions. He argued that the port could be modernised by training local workers rather than handing operational responsibilities to a foreign company.
However, former CPA member for administration and planning Md Zafar Alam said foreign management could improve the terminal’s capacity, provided the port’s infrastructure bottlenecks were also addressed.
He noted that around 70% of containers arriving at the port are destined for Dhaka, but road corridors and railway facilities are insufficient to transport them efficiently. He also pointed to scope for improving container-handling operations.
Zafar Alam stressed that the port’s overall operating profit and efficiency should be prioritised rather than treating storage charges as a measure of success. He also called for safeguards to ensure workers’ job security.
Shipping Minister Sheikh Robiul Alam rejected concerns that workers would lose their jobs under the agreement. He said the investment and modernisation programme could create new employment opportunities and improve workers’ skills.
The government maintains that the deal will strengthen the terminal’s international competitiveness and improve port operations. However, the agreement’s ultimate success will depend on whether it delivers the promised investment, higher efficiency and increased government revenue while protecting workers’ employment rights.
