The Chattogram Port United Workers and Employees’ Federation has called for an immediate halt to the privatisation process of the port.
At a press conference held on Saturday at the Chittagong Press Club, the federation also put forward several demands, including the recruitment of workers for vacant positions at the port, an end to outsourcing recruitment, and the implementation of a three-shift system for workers at the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) and Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT).
The workers’ federation plans to submit a memorandum to the port chairman on 22 December to present their demands.
At a press conference, leaders of the Chattogram Port United Workers and Employees’ Federation voiced strong opposition to the privatisation of the port, particularly the NCT and CCT, warning that they would do everything in their power to prevent the process.
The federation’s president, Mohammad Harun, accused former prime minister Sheikh Hasina and her ally Salman F Rahman of pushing an agenda to privatise the port facilities by handing over operations of the NCT and CCT to a Dubai-based private company. He described this plan as “anti-national and suicidal” and insisted that the privatisation should be canceled to protect the national interest.
“We will not allow this privatisation process to take place under any circumstances,” Harun said. “This decision must be reversed immediately to safeguard the future of Chattogram port and our country’s economy.”
Another key demand raised at the press conference was the cancellation of the contract with a Saudi Arabian company to operate the Patenga Container Terminal, a decision made under the Awami League government. The workers’ federation sees this contract as another step toward privatization that could undermine the port’s interests and national control.
Bahar also highlighted the strong financial performance of the port, stressing that the port has consistently contributed significantly to the national economy. In the fiscal year 2022-2023, Chattogram Port earned Tk4,438 crore, and in the following fiscal year, the earnings reached Tk4,473 crore. For the first four months of the current fiscal year, revenue stood at Tk1,643 crore, a 21.85% increase compared to the same period the previous year.
