No DP World deal during current govt

The long-awaited lease agreement with Dubai-based port operator DP World to run the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram Port is unlikely to be signed during the tenure of the current interim government, officials said.

Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Chief Executive Officer of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority, told a press briefing at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka on Sunday, February 8, that negotiations between the Bangladesh government and DP World are ongoing but remain unfinished.

“No agreement will be signed with DP World during this government’s tenure,” Ashik said, adding that the process may continue under the next government following the February 12 national election.

He explained that discussions on the NCT project began under a government-to-government (G2G) framework and are now at a project-specific public-private partnership (PPP) stage, facilitated by the PPP Authority. “We are not decision-makers in this process. Our role is to facilitate negotiations between the Chattogram Port Authority and DP World,” he said.

DP World recently sent a letter to the Chief Adviser’s office expressing satisfaction with the progress of talks and requesting additional time to review the draft concession agreement. According to Ashik, this means negotiations could continue beyond the current government’s term.

The PPP CEO said talks on the project began in 2019 and reached a final negotiation phase last month. “Finalising such a large concession agreement takes time. Most likely, the next government will carry it forward,” he added.

Port workers strike, economic losses mount

The NCT project has triggered protests from port workers, who fear the lease may be awarded at an unreasonably low rate. Following a six-day work abstention, operations briefly resumed on February 6 after a meeting with Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Shakhawat Hossain. Labour coordinators warned that the strike would resume unless the government withdraws plans to lease NCT to DP World.

The disruption has already caused significant economic losses, estimated at around Tk3,000 crore, due to container backlogs and vessel congestion. While Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral SM Moniruzzaman said operations are running normally, shipping agents and berth operators reported that terminal activities, including container loading and cargo delivery, remain largely suspended.

Ashik emphasised that DP World is a fully state-owned company and that negotiations are being closely coordinated at multiple government levels. He stressed that the process is ongoing and may continue until a formal agreement is signed under the post-election government.

The New Mooring Container Terminal, one of Bangladesh’s most strategic port projects, remains a focal point of economic and political debate, highlighting the challenges of balancing foreign investment with domestic labour and policy considerations.