NCT handover to DP World sparks protest in capital, police baton-charge

Police baton-charged and dispersed a protest rally organised against the agreement with DP World, a United Arab Emirates-based company, to operate Chattogram Port’s New Mooring Container Terminal, or NCT.

A concession agreement between the port and the company was signed at around 3:30pm today, Thursday, at the Invest Bangladesh office (formerly BIDA) in Agargaon, Dhaka. The agreement is for 15 years.

The CPB, BASD and several other organisations gathered in front of the Invest Bangladesh office from 2pm today to protest the agreement. At around 2:45pm, police baton-charged the protesters and dispersed them.

CPB President Sazzad Zahir Chandan, who was present at the scene, told Prothom Alo, “We came to the front of the BIDA building today on behalf of the Anti-Imperialist and Anti-War Coalition to protest the agreement with DP World for the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chittagong Port. We believe this agreement amounts to selling out Bangladesh. DP World has ties with the US Navy, which can be understood by visiting its website.”

Sazzad Zahir further said, “By giving DP World the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chittagong Port, it seems that America will be able to directly interfere in Bangladesh’s independence and sovereignty. They will use our seaports, airports—everything.”

Sazzad Zahir said, “We came here today to protest against this. Our rally was peaceful. At one point during the peaceful rally, police baton-charged us without any provocation. Those who are selling Bangladesh to America and DP World today will be remembered throughout their lives as traitors and betrayers of the country. We, the leftists, will remain in the struggle. We will protect the country’s ports and national assets, even if it costs us our last drop of blood.”

The CPB said police carried out a heavy baton-charge on their peaceful protest rally. Sazzad Zahir Chandan and many other party leaders and activists were injured.