A protest erupted in Dhaka on Thursday over the decision to hand over operation of Chittagong Port’s New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to Dubai-based DP World for 15 years, with police dispersing protesters and allegedly using batons against them.
The protest was organized in front of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), now operating under the name Invest Bangladesh, in Agargaon, where the concession agreement between the government and DP World was signed later in the afternoon.
Protesters from the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB), Bangladesh Samajtantrik Dal (BASAD) and several other organizations gathered at the venue from around 2pm, opposing the agreement and demanding that the government reconsider the decision.
Police reportedly dispersed the protesters at around 2:45pm.
The CPB said several of its leaders and activists, including party President Sazzad Zahir Chandan, were injured during the baton charge.
Speaking to the media, Sazzad Zahir Chandan said the protest was organized by the Anti-Imperialist and Anti-War Coalition to oppose the agreement with DP World.
“We came here to protest against the agreement with DP World for operating the New Mooring Container Terminal. We believe this agreement amounts to selling off Bangladesh,” he said.
He alleged that the protest was peaceful until police intervened.
“We were holding a peaceful program. At one point, police baton-charged us without any provocation,” he said.
Chandan said the left-wing parties would continue protesting against what they described as the transfer of control over a strategically important national asset to a foreign operator.
“We will remain in the streets. We will fight to protect the country’s ports and national resources, even with our last drop of blood,” he said.
The protesters have raised concerns about the implications of allowing a foreign company to operate a strategically important container terminal at Chittagong Port.
Chandan also alleged that DP World has links with the US Navy and argued that handing over the NCT could create risks for Bangladesh’s sovereignty and national security.
However, such claims regarding DP World’s alleged US Navy links and their implications for Bangladesh have not been independently established in connection with the NCT agreement.
The protesters are demanding greater scrutiny of the agreement, particularly its provisions concerning national security, revenue sharing, investment, operational control and the protection of workers’ rights.
The concession agreement was signed at the Invest Bangladesh office in Agargaon at around 3:30pm on Thursday.
Under the agreement, DP World will operate the NCT for 15 years.
The NCT is one of the key container-handling facilities at Chittagong Port, Bangladesh’s principal maritime gateway for international trade.
The decision to bring an international terminal operator into the management of the facility has been presented as part of efforts to improve operational efficiency, introduce international expertise and strengthen port capacity.
But opponents argue that economic efficiency cannot be considered in isolation from questions of strategic control, national security, transparency and Bangladesh’s long-term economic interests.
The agreement has also triggered demands for the government to make its full terms publicly available.
Among the key questions being raised are how much DP World will invest, how revenues will be shared between the operator and the port authority, what fees or concessions the company will receive, and what will happen to the terminal and its assets when the 15-year concession expires.
Questions have also been raised over the selection process, including whether the operator was selected through a competitive and transparent international bidding process and whether an independent assessment of the agreement’s economic impact was conducted.
The status and future rights of workers currently associated with the terminal are another issue likely to come under scrutiny.
Chittagong Port handles the overwhelming majority of Bangladesh’s seaborne trade, making its terminals critical to the country’s economy and supply chains.
The NCT is an important component of the port’s container-handling capacity. Any long-term concession involving its operation therefore carries implications beyond ordinary commercial management.
Supporters of the arrangement are likely to argue that the involvement of an experienced global port operator could improve productivity, technology adoption and service quality.
Critics, however, say the government must demonstrate that the agreement provides adequate safeguards for Bangladesh’s financial, strategic and national interests.
The alleged baton charge has added a political dimension to the controversy. The CPB said the police action was disproportionate and that several protesters were injured.
Questions remain over what prompted the police intervention, whether protesters were given adequate notice to leave the area and whether any specific public-order concerns had arisen before force was used.
A detailed statement from police explaining the circumstances surrounding the dispersal was not immediately available.
With the 15-year concession now signed, the debate is likely to shift from whether DP World should be involved in NCT operations to the specific terms under which it will operate the terminal.
For the government, the central challenge will be demonstrating that the arrangement delivers measurable improvements in port efficiency and trade competitiveness.
For opponents, the focus will remain on transparency, national control, revenue, security and the long-term implications of foreign management of strategic infrastructure.
The publication of the complete concession agreement, including its financial, operational and security provisions, could provide the clearest basis for assessing whether the deal serves Bangladesh’s long-term national interest.