Chattogram Port lease secrecy against public interest: Farhad Mazhar

Poet and columnist Farhad Mazhar has said that the decision to lease Chattogram Port without public involvement is against the public interest.

He made the remarks at a seminar titled “Port Security vs Politics of Port Paralysis” at Chattogram Press Club on Friday (February 6).

"Such crucial decisions should be made through transparent discussions involving workers, business communities, and all stakeholders," he said.

He warned that using non-disclosure clauses to keep the public in the dark is risky. He questioned the handover of port management to a foreign company, saying outsourcing critical infrastructure during a crisis raises concerns about the state’s sovereignty.

Other speakers at the event alleged that projects built with the port’s own funds are being transferred to foreign companies, threatening employment and national interest.

They said that leasing the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) could put around 800 employees at risk and demanded full disclosure of the proposed contract and an impartial investigation.

Earlier, Shipping Adviser Brigadier General (Retd.) M. Sakhawat Hossain stated that the government has moved forward with a plan to assign management of the NCT to UAE-based DP World.