The Chittagong Port Authority on Sunday said that the government had no plan to hand over ownership of any port terminal to foreign companies.
In a press release, signed by port secretary Omar Faruk and circulated to the media in the evening, the CPA said that certain media reports about foreign ownership of Chattogram port terminals were 鈥榗ompletely baseless, imaginary, false and misleading information regarding the management of Chattogram port terminals.鈥�
鈥楽uch misinformation is creating confusion among the general public and port users,鈥� it also said.
鈥楢ll terminals, jetties, yards and other facilities of Chattogram port are solely owned by the Chittagong Port Authority. Neither the government nor the Port Authority has ever planned, nor currently has any plan, to transfer the ownership of any terminal to any foreign company,鈥� the release said.
It also said that under the country鈥檚 existing laws and regulations, only the process of appointing licensed operators was being conducted in a fully transparent, neutral and public-friendly manner.
Accusing some media outlets of publishing assumption-based reports, the port authority said, 鈥榃hen certain media outlets publish news without full knowledge of the facts or based on speculation or unreliable sources, it creates confusion among the public.鈥�
Mentioning that the port was at the heart of the national economy, it said that such 鈥榝abricated and unrealistic news鈥� about Chattogram port negatively impacted the port鈥檚 working environment.
The CPA also urged everyone to cooperate in maintaining the port鈥檚 operational stability, calling on journalists to act more responsibly and professionally while reporting on the port.
Earlier, the interim government decided to lease out three key port facilities: the New Mooring Container Terminal, the Bay Terminal, and Laldia Char to three foreign companies.
According to policymakers, agreements in this regard are expected to be signed by December.
Since the news had come out, various political parties and professional groups started opposing the government decision to lease the facilities to foreign entities.
Left-leaning political parties have been organising protest programmes almost daily in Dhaka and Chattogram, while labour organisations, including the Trade Union Centre, better known as TUC, and Sramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad, popularly known as SKOP, have also taken to the streets.
On October 9, Chattogram Metropolitan Police commissioner Hasib Aziz issued a public notice banning all political, labour and social gatherings, including rallies, processions, human chains, and street meetings, in the port area for 30 days starting from October 11.