No plan to foreign handover of Ctg Port

Shipping Minister Shaikh Rabiul Alam on Wednesday told Parliament that the government has no plan to hand over the Chittagong Port to any foreign operator.

“There is no plan to hand over the Chittagong Port to any foreign operator,” he said while replying to a tabled question from treasury bench member Shahadat Hossain (Lakshmipur-1) in the House.

At the beginning of Wednesday’s sitting, Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad placed the question-and-answer session for ministers following the completion of the Prime Minister’s question-and-answer segment.

Clarifying the government’s position, the Shipping Minister said operators are engaged only for the management of individual port terminals under arrangements approved by the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority or the government. “In such cases, both local and foreign operators are considered eligible,” he added.

He said that in line with ongoing modernisation efforts and the increasing volume of import-export trade, different port terminals are being operated by both domestic and international operators to enhance capacity and efficiency.

Citing examples, he noted that the Patenga Container Terminal (PCT) is currently being operated by a foreign operator.

He further informed Parliament that an agreement has been signed with APM Terminals BV, a subsidiary of the Maersk Group in Denmark, under the PPP framework for the construction and operation of the Laldia Container Terminal at Laldia Char on the right bank of the Karnaphuli River.

The Minister emphasised that Chittagong Port is an autonomous institution governed by the Chittagong Port Authority Act, 2022. It is managed by a board headed by a chairman, along with designated officials and employees.

He also said the Port Authority operates in accordance with government directives and policy decisions issued from time to time.

Reiterating the government’s stance, he said the port remains under national control, while operational partnerships — where necessary — are pursued to improve efficiency, expand capacity and support growing trade demands.