Ashik says DP World deal unlikely under interim govt

Bangla Press Desk:   There is no possibility of signing an agreement to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) of Chattogram port to the United Arab Emirates-based DP World during the tenure of the current interim government, Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Executive Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun said on Sunday.

The announcement comes at a time when Chattogram port workers and employees have resumed an indefinite strike, demanding the cancellation of the process to lease the NCT to DP World.

“A letter was received from DP World on Sunday. The letter arrived at the Chief Adviser’s Office in the morning,” Ashik, also the Public Private Partnership Authority CEO, said at a press conference held at the Foreign Service Academy in the capital.  

“In the letter, DP World praised the progress of the ongoing negotiations on the lease agreement and expressed satisfaction with the process,” he said.

“The company hopes the negotiations will move forward further in the future and in the right direction as well. Along with praising the progress, DP World said it has received and reviewed the shared draft concession agreement in detail, but has requested some time for further review.”

Ashik said, “The interim government officially has only two working days left. Since they (DP World) have requested time, the issue may go beyond the current government’s tenure, and the negotiations may continue again in the post-election period.”

He also said that work on leasing the NCT to DP World began in 2019, and final-stage negotiations on the project started over the past month.

Meanwhile, Shipping Adviser Brig Gen (retd) M Sakhawat Hussain on Sunday said the government would take a tough line to end the ongoing strike at the port. Source: daily Sun

BP/TD