Politicians, academics and professionals on Saturday at a discussion in Dhaka said that the interim government had no rights to lease out the management of the ports of the country.
Democratic Rights Committee organised the discussion at Economic Reporters Forum auditorium where its central leader former Jahangirnagar University professor Anu Muhammad was in the chair.
Economist Anu Muhammad said that according to their commitment the interim government had three months to hold next general election and now they should perform the routine works of the government.
The interim government on Monday signed agreements with foreign companies on leasing out managements of Laldia Terminal and Pangaon Port, Anu Muhammad said.
The government should take steps to control the law and order and stop mob cultures in the country and they had no legal right to lease out ports of the country to the foreign companies, he said.
Lawyer Jyotirmoy Barua said that the interim government was following paths of fascist Awami League government in case of leasing out ports to the foreign companies.
He demanded publications of the texts of the agreements immediately.
Politician Shafiuddin Ahmed Abid readout the keynote paper in the discussion where he said that the interim government had failed to implement the spirits of July Uprising as it leased out ports to foreigners.
Dhaka University teacher Moshahida Sultana said that the leasing out of the ports of the country were contrary to the national interests and our earnings from ports would decrease and our employment at the port would reduce.
She called on the interim government to scrap such unequal deals with the foreign companies.
Student leader Fahim Ahmed Chowdhury and Maruf Barkat also spoke in the meeting.
