Busy days gone, uncertain future ahead: Officers and staff on edge

Switzerland’s Medlog has been given the responsibility of operating Dhaka’s Keraniganj Pangaon river terminal for 22 years. The interim government decided to hand over the terminal to foreigners after more than a decade of construction, as it could not be made profitable.

However, why only the management, not ownership, of this government-funded terminal was handed over to foreigners has sparked discussion among officials.

The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) and Chittagong Port Authority jointly constructed the Pangaon terminal.

Located on the banks of the Buriganga river, the container terminal cost Tk 1.49 billion to build. Operations began in 2013, but the first vessel berthed in 2015. Container handling gradually increased from 2018, reaching over 18,000 units in the 2022–23 fiscal year. In 2024–25, it fell to around 1,500 units.

According to government records, the terminal incurred a loss of around Tk 1.65 billion over the past 12 years, averaging Tk 30–40 million monthly. With the handover to foreigners, the government will now receive Tk 11 million annually as fees.

A visit to the area on Tuesday revealed no visible activity at the terminal. Officers and staff were mostly engaged in informal discussions, with the main topic being the terminal’s future.

Multiple officials said the last cargo vessel berthed on 11 November. Currently, no ships arrive weekly, so officers, staff, and workers have little to do, spending much of their time idle.

Discussions also centred on the management contract with foreigners, including who would stay and who would leave. Many have begun preparing for departure.

Currently, around 500 people work at the terminal, including 391 labourers. Customs officers are also present. Private-sector labourers are hired for loading and unloading, but when no ships arrive, they have little regular work.

After the foreign management contract, these workers are increasingly worried about job security. To press the demand for continued employment, they submitted a letter to Zakir Hossain, president of the Pangaon Terminal Workers’ Union.

Speaking about this, Zakir Hossain told Prothom Alo, “There is no work, so we spend our days in hardship. Now, after the contract with foreigners, workers are anxious whether their jobs will continue.”

Agriculture Extension Department officer Afrin Sultana, responsible for inspecting imported agricultural products at the terminal, is also concerned about her future under the new contract. Shipments of agricultural products arrive irregularly—sometimes only one or two per month.

About 100 officers and staff from Chittagong Port are assigned to various roles at the terminal, all of whom expect to be removed under the new agreement.

A port-appointed terminal manager oversees operations. Officers crowded around him with questions on Tuesday, but he could not give definitive answers and later declined to speak further.

Officials said there are currently 154 cargo containers at the terminal, 108 of which are under auction in various cases. On average, three cargo vessels berth per month. The low cargo volume is attributed to long delays and high handling costs.

C&F agent Nawaz Sharif said that during the previous government, a local influential group tried to take over terminal operations.

It costs Tk 30,000–50,000 to transport a container from Chittagong Port to Pangaon terminal, whereas rail transport is cheaper and faster. High costs and delays have caused users to avoid the terminal.