107 eminent Bangladeshis demand cancellation of 'secret port lease deals'

A group of 107 prominent Bangladeshi citizens has called for the immediate cancellation of allegedly secretive lease agreements for the Laldia Container Terminal in Chattogram and the Pangaon Terminal in Dhaka.

In a joint statement issued Thursday (November 20), the group demanded full disclosure of the contracts and raised concerns over the opaque decision-making process.

The statement alleges that the Laldia terminal lease to a foreign company was finalised hastily and secretly, reportedly on the same day a verdict was delivered in a high-profile case involving ousted Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, sparking public suspicion.

The citizens said stakeholders, including port users, were excluded from the process. Similar transparency concerns were raised regarding plans for Chattogram’s New Mooring Terminal.

Citing media reports, the statement noted that the International Finance Corporation (IFC), a World Bank affiliate, acted as adviser in drafting the contracts, with both past and current governments advancing the deals based on its recommendations. Recent port tariff increases were also reportedly influenced by IFC guidance.

The signatories questioned why only IFC’s advice was prioritized, warning that the World Bank and IFC have often favored multinational companies over public interest in developing countries. They argued that rushed decisions without stakeholder consultation could jeopardize national interests, citing past foreign loan agreements and failed infrastructure projects as examples.

The citizens criticised the interim government for not consulting political parties before proceeding, calling secrecy around national assets “unacceptable.” They demanded that all port-related decisions be transparent, the full draft of the 17 November agreement be published, and that final approval be made only after discussion in the next elected parliament.

The group includes notable figures such as Anu Muhammad, Salimullah Khan, Khalikuzzaman Elias, Kamrul Hasan Mamun, Altaf Parvez, Azfar Hossain, Nurul Alam Atique, and Firoz Ahmed.