Workers stage rally, black flag march against Chattogram Port terminal lease plan

Workers and labor leaders staged a rally and black flag march in Chattogram on Tuesday, protesting proposals to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chattogram Container Terminal (CCT) to foreign operators.

The demonstration was organized by the Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SCOP) under slogans including, "Go Back DP World," "We will give blood, we will give our lives, but not NCT-CCT," and "The country's ports must remain in the country's hands."

The rally began with a gathering at the Akhtaruzzaman Center in Agrabad at 11:00 a.m. It was chaired by S.K. Khoda Toton, president of the National Workers Federation, and moderated by Iftekhar Kamal Khan, joint secretary of the Chattogram district committee of TEUC.

Former Labor Reform Commission member Tapan Dutta addressed the event as the chief speaker, while Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, general secretary of the Chattogram Divisional Committee of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal, spoke as the special guest.

Other speakers included Md. Harun, Md. Taslim Hossain Selim, Helal Uddin Kabir, Nurul Abchar Touhid, K.M. Shahidullah, Abdul Baten, Ibrahim Farazi, Delwar Hossain, and Fazlul Kabir Mintu, among other labor and professional organization leaders.

Speakers said the NCT and CCT are strategically and economically important national assets. They argued that leasing the terminals to any domestic or foreign operator could have long-term consequences for the country's financial interests, employment, and national security.

They claimed the Chattogram Port is currently operating efficiently under its own management and generating significant revenue for the government. Instead of outsourcing terminal operations, they urged authorities to strengthen the port's capacity by investing in modern equipment, recruiting skilled personnel, and improving management practices.

The speakers also warned that transferring terminal operations to DP World or any other foreign company could create uncertainty over workers' job security, labor rights, and working conditions.

Calling the port a vital part of Bangladesh's economy and national sovereignty, they demanded the immediate cancellation of all initiatives to lease the NCT and CCT terminals. They also warned of broader protest programs involving workers and the public if the government proceeds with the plan.

Following the rally, participants carried black flags in a procession from Agrabad's Badamtoli area to the Barik Building intersection, with workers, employees, professionals, and members of various social organizations joining the march.