Laldiya Terminal Agreement: Government Fails the Test of Transparency
The rushed 30-year Laldiya Container Terminal deal with APM Terminals has raised serious concerns over transparency, accountability, and political oversight, as Bangladesh’s interim government finalizes an unsolicited agreement without public disclosure or broader consultation.
Workers Announce Blockade at Chittagong Port Protesting Lease of Facilities to Foreign Firms
The decision to cancel the lease of various installations of Chittagong Port to foreign entities has led to the announcement of protest programs. On Wednesday (November 26), the Sramik–Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) has called for a blockade at all entry points of the port.
After Two Terminals, Push Begins to Appoint a Foreign Operator for NCT
Bangladesh has signed two major agreements with APM Terminals and Medlog to build and operate the Laldia and Pangaon terminals despite ongoing protests and criticism. The deals involve long-term PPP investments worth hundreds of millions of dollars and have raised concerns over foreign involvement in Chattogram Port operations.
Interim Government Criticized for Secret Long-Term Deals Amid Neglect of Election Priorities
Instead of focusing on election-related matters, the government is showing interest only in long-term agreements—something that does not fall within its jurisdiction.
Foreign Companies Granted Control of Laldia and Pangaon Ports Under Secret Contract Terms
Nearly 60 percent of the future container-handling capacity of Chattogram Port has been handed over to foreign operators. Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) framework, two long-term agreements for operating two major terminals were signed yesterday, Monday, at the InterContinental Hotel in Dhaka—while keeping the terms of the agreements “confidential.”
Protests Called Against Leasing Laldia and Pangaon Ports to Foreign Companies
The Left Democratic Alliance believes that the country has been turned into a pawn of imperialist conspiracies. According to the alliance, the interim government is now implementing the previous autocratic government’s plan to lease out ports. They claim the government is attempting to portray foreign investment as development through such activities.
Pakistan Navy Vessel Visits Bangladesh After Five Decades
In a move symbolizing a potential reset in South Asian diplomacy, a Pakistani naval vessel, PNS Saif, arrived at Chittagong Port on Sunday for a four-day goodwill visit — the first of its kind in more than five decades.
Bangladesh Emerging as a Transit Hub in ISI–Dawood Narco-Terror Network
Bangladesh is facing growing allegations of becoming a transit hub for narcotics and extremist financing in South Asia. Intelligence and law enforcement sources claim that Pakistan-based criminal and intelligence networks are increasingly using Bangladeshi ports and trade channels to facilitate illicit operations.
Bangladesh Dock Workers Strike Over Foreign Takeover Plans at Chattogram Port
Dock workers in Bangladesh have intensified their strike at the country’s largest port, Chattogram, in protest against the interim government’s plan to lease key port terminals to foreign companies.
Revolutionary Workers Party Warns Interim Government Against Foreign Control of Seaports
Leaders of the Revolutionary Workers Party of Bangladesh have said that handing over the country’s seaport management to foreign companies in the name of “better management” is not the responsibility of an interim government.