Additional attorney general Aneek R Haque on Thursday told the High Court that the government would not move ahead with awarding the New Mooring Container Terminal contract to a UAE-based company, DP World, until the court hears the matter again on November 25.
He said this during the second day of hearings on a public interest writ litigation before the bench of Justice Fatema Najib and Justice Fatema Anwar.
Bangladesh Jubo Arthanitibid Forum president Mirza Walid Hossain filed the petition.
The petitioner鈥檚 lawyer, Ahsanul Karim, informed the court that the Chattogram Port Authority had initiated the tender process on November 16, despite the pending rule.
The bench then verbally asked the state to ensure no further steps are taken.
On July 30, the High Court asked the government to explain why the NCT contract was being awarded to a foreign company without competitive bidding and why local operators were excluded.
The shipping secretary, Chattogram Port Authority chairman, PPP Authority chief executive officer and DP World FZE鈥檚 managing director were asked to reply to the rule.
Lawyers argued that excluding local operators violated the Public-Private Partnership Act 2015 and the 2017 G2G project policy.
Senior lawyers AM Mahbub Uddin and Ahsanul Karim, assisted by his junior Md Anwar Hossain, represented the petitioner.
