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Published : 08 Feb 2026, 08:52 PM
Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) chief Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud bin Harun has said the lease agreement with DP World for operating the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at the Chittagong Port will not take place during the interim government’s tenure.
The announcement comes amid workers’ protests against the government’s decision to sign the deal.
The BIDA executive chairman said such an agreement could be made after the elections, under a political government.
He made the remarks at a press conference on Sunday afternoon at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka.
Ashik is also the chief executive officer of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority.
The Chittagong Port Protection Struggle Council has continued its strike since Sunday, demanding the cancellation of the decision to hand over the operation of the NCT to the UAE-based DP World. The protesters also have three other demands.
The workers’ protest includes a work stoppage from 8am, with cargo and container handling at the multiple jetties halted and product delivery operations abruptly suspended.
According to workers’ leaders, operational activities at the port have virtually come to a halt.
The port’s Jatiotabadi Sramik Dal unit had called for a work stoppage from Jan 31 to protest the decision to hand over management of the NCT’s operations to DP World.
The protesters later continued the movement under the current banner. The group launched an indefinite strike last Tuesday.
The chief advisor’s press wing organised the media briefing in Dhaka amid the protests, attended by Ashik.
He said the interim government had exchanged the draft of the agreement with DP World to have container management handled by the foreign company.
He said DP World is satisfied with the progress of the ongoing discussions regarding the NCT deal.
“They have informed us that they have received the draft concession agreement and will review it. They have requested some time,” he said, adding that there are very few working days left to finalise it.
A state-level agreement between the Chittagong Port Authority and DP World is in the works. There had been speculation that the deal might be finalised before the elections.
Even if the agreement is not executed during the interim government’s tenure, Ashik noted that the next government will take it forward.
Formal discussions with DP World over container management began in 2019. The negotiations have reached their final and most intensive phase in the past month, Ashik said.
DP World has faced allegations of bribery and corruption in several countries.
Over concerns that someone in Bangladesh might benefit from the upcoming agreement, Ashik said: “All government contracts should be thoroughly investigated. If anyone has gained an undue advantage, they should be held accountable.”
