Bangladesh Jamaat-e-Islami on Sunday strongly opposed any move to hand over the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port to foreign companies, urging the government to retain full local control over the facility.
Speaking at a press conference at the Chattogram Press Club, Shahjahan Chowdhury, Ameer of the party’s Chattogram Metropolitan unit, emphasized that NCT should remain under the management of the Chittagong Port Authority to protect national interests.
“The Chittagong Port is the backbone of the country’s economy, handling 92% of import and export operations,” said Shahjahan. “NCT, being the most profitable terminal, generated Tk 1,367 crore in revenue in the last fiscal year after an investment of around Tk 2,000 crore. Handing over such a strategic asset to foreign hands would be a direct blow to our economic sovereignty.”
Jamaat claimed the terminal currently handles 55% of the port’s total cargo and supports the livelihoods of some 5,000 workers and staff.
The party also alleged that Salman F Rahman, former economic adviser to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was actively involved in pushing for the foreign takeover of NCT, accusing him of putting family interests above national welfare. They likened this move to the earlier controversial decision to transfer the Patenga Container Terminal to foreign management.
While asserting that Jamaat is not against foreign investment, Shahjahan Chowdhury said such investments should be directed toward new infrastructure and development projects like the proposed Bay Terminal and special economic zones—not profitable, fully functional, and technologically advanced terminals like NCT.
Principal Nurul Amin, secretary of the Chattogram city unit of Jamaat-e-Islami, along with other leaders, was also present at the press conference.
