Chittagong Port NCT lease to DP World sparks labor protests

The government of Bangladesh has signed a 15-year lease agreement to hand over the management of the Neumuring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port to the Dubai-based international operator DP World. The deal, signed by Chittagong Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman and DP World Chairman Esa Kazim, aims to increase operational efficiency, introduce modern technology, and reduce cargo handling delays.

Under the agreement, DP World is expected to invest over 1,000 crore BDT within the first decade and manage a minimum of 1.23 million TEUs annually. The Chittagong Port Authority is slated to receive between 40% and 67% of the terminal's revenue, along with an annual fixed fee of approximately 10 crore BDT. The government has stated that current NCT employees will not lose their jobs or suffer salary reductions.

However, the decision has faced intense opposition from labor unions, political coalitions, and port protection committees. Protesters, including the Chittagong Port Nationalists Workers Party and the Anti-Imperialist and Anti-War Alliance, have raised concerns regarding national security, loss of domestic revenue, and the lack of transparency in the contract terms. Labor groups have announced mass hunger strikes and protests at the port to demand the cancellation of the lease and the public disclosure of the agreement's full terms.