The Anti-Imperialism and Anti-War Alliance on Monday held a protest rally and procession in front of the National Press Club in Dhaka, opposing the government’s decision to hand over the operation of Chittagong port’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) to foreign operators.
The rally began around 4:30pm and was presided over by Bazlur Rashid Firoz, central leader of the alliance and general secretary of the Socialist Party of Bangladesh (SPB).
Among others, Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) President Sazzad Zahir Chandan, Samyabadi Andolan central coordinator Shubhrangshu Chakrabarty, SPB (Marxist) coordinator Masud Rana and Democratic Revolutionary Party General Secretary Mosrefa Mishu addressed the rally.
Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (Mahbub) central leader Mohinuddin Chowdhury Liton moderated the program.
The leaders opposed the approval of a draft concession agreement at a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs on October 1, aimed at leasing the profitable NCT to a foreign operator.
They said the government had approved the draft concession agreement to hand over NCT to a foreign operator for 15 years but had not informed the public which foreign company would receive the contract or what conditions would be included in the agreement.
The leaders alleged that the previous interim government had also moved to lease the Laldia Char terminal at Chittagong port and the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal in Keraniganj to foreign operators in haste and without adequate transparency.
They said the interim government could not hand over NCT to DP World amid criticism and protests from progressive and patriotic sections of the public.
Although the government has not disclosed the name of the proposed foreign operator, the leaders claimed there were indications that the agreement would be signed with DP World, a United Arab Emirates-based company.
They alleged that the interim government had sought to hand over NCT to the same company that had been considered for the terminal during the Awami League government without a competitive tender, and that the elected BNP government was now moving to implement a decision they described as contrary to national interests.
The leaders said Chittagong port was linked not only to the country’s economic interests but also to geopolitical strategy, national security and sovereignty.
They said NCT had been built and equipped with modern machinery at a cost of around Tk4,500 crore in public funds and handled around 44% of the containers at Chittagong port.
Questioning why such a profitable and self-sufficient terminal should be handed over to a foreign operator, they warned that a significant portion of the port’s revenue could flow abroad if a foreign company was appointed to operate NCT.
They also accused the government of taking a series of decisions in favor of foreign capital, contrary to the aspirations of the mass uprising.
The speakers said the International Finance Corporation (IFC) had been appointed as the transaction adviser for the project and was involved in due diligence, developing the structure and documents of the agreement, and facilitating negotiations with the selected operator.
They questioned why the government should follow the advice of the World Bank Group institution while allegedly ignoring the views of port users and experts in Bangladesh.
The leaders demanded that the government strengthen state capacity and operate strategically and economically important assets such as NCT under state management.
They also condemned the Ministry of Shipping’s reported instruction to Invest Bangladesh to expedite the process of leasing CCT to a foreign company, calling for an immediate halt to what they described as activities against national interests.
The rally also condemned the government’s decision to sell 44 state-owned factories to local and foreign investors.
The speakers protested the Tk252 increase in the price of a 12kg LPG cylinder, saying it would increase public suffering, and demanded an immediate withdrawal of the price hike.
They also demanded the cancellation of the draft concession agreement approved by the current government, as well as the Laldia and Pangaon lease agreements signed by the interim government and what they described as an unequal trade agreement with the United States.
They called on port workers and people from all sections of society to build a united movement against what they termed anti-people decisions by the government.
The alliance announced full support for a program called by the Chittagong Port Protection Committee and supported by SKOP Chittagong on October 13.
It also urged people across the country to make the alliance’s rally at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on October 30 a success.
They called on port workers and people from all sections of society to build a united movement against what they termed anti-people decisions by the government.
The alliance announced full support for a program called by the Chittagong Port Protection Committee and supported by SKOP Chittagong on October 13.
It also urged people across the country to make the alliance’s rally at the Central Shaheed Minar in Dhaka on October 30 a success.