Bangladesh's Port Management Deals Under Scrutiny by Opposition

Dhaka, Nov 25 (PTI): Bangladesh's former prime minister Khaleda Zia's political party strongly criticized the interim government on Tuesday over its recent decisions. The party questioned the legitimacy of the administration, referring to its actions to sign long-term agreements with foreign companies to manage significant national ports.

Recently, the interim government executed two crucial agreements. According to one deal, APM Terminals BV, a Netherlands-based company and a subsidiary of Danish giant AP Moller-Maersk, will handle operations at the newly developed Laldia container terminal at Chattogram Port for a period of 30 years.

The other agreement places Switzerland-based MEDLOG in charge of the Pangaon Inland Container Terminal (PICT) near Dhaka for 22 years.

In a Facebook post, Tarique Rahman, the acting chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), stated that an unelected government should not determine the country's long-term future. He labeled the deals as "strategic commitments over a national asset," pushed forward by an interim government lacking a democratic mandate to commit future generations.

Rahman, currently residing in London, referred to Chattogram Port as "the gateway to Bangladesh's economy," emphasizing that decisions regarding its long-term management are significant and require proper democratic discourse.

The agreements were signed on November 17, coinciding with a special tribunal's decision to sentence deposed prime minister Sheikh Hasina and former home minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal to death in absentia on charges related to crimes against humanity.

Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus defended the agreements, arguing that the world's top operators would enhance the management of Bangladesh's port facilities. He also called on the public to oppose those resisting the plan.

National Board of Revenue Chairman Abdur Rahman Khan confirmed that the interim government had granted a "100 per cent tax exemption for 10 years" to the companies involved, with further tax concessions for foreign technical staff working under these projects.

The deals have sparked significant debate, with politicians, academics, and professionals voicing their concerns during a discussion on Saturday. They questioned the interim government's authority to lease out the management of key strategic ports.

Economist and activist Anu Mohammad argued that the government should focus on maintaining law and order rather than leasing national assets to foreign entities. Dhaka University academic Moshahida Sultana expressed concern about potential harm to national interests, reduced revenue, and diminished employment opportunities for locals, urging the government to reconsider these "unequal" agreements.

Lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua demanded transparency, calling for the immediate release of the full texts of the contracts.

Earlier in the year, Mirza Walid Hossain, president of the Bangladesh Youth Economist Forum, filed a writ petition against another plan to lease out the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram Port to Dubai-based DP World. The court is anticipated to deliver its verdict on the petition on December 4.

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