Torch procession to protect the port by canceling the foreign lease and removing the chairman

The Chittagong Port Protection Council held a torch march to protest against the conspiracy to hand over the country’s main seaport to foreign companies.
The procession, which started from Barapole intersection of the city on Sunday (November 2) evening, circled the main main road and met at Jamalkhan, Andarkilla and Newmarket areas.

Hundreds of workers in procession,Port employees and leaders of various labor organizations participated. The marchers carried torches and chanted slogans — “Save Chittagong Port”, “Abolish foreign leases”, “Remove port chairman, save the country”.

The speaker said that Chittagong Port is the heart of the country’s economy. The main driving force behind Bangladesh’s trade independence today is the port. But the port terminals are foreign as part of the anti-interest plot of the countryThere is a conspiracy to hand over to the operator. They said, “In whose interest do you want to hand over four terminals including NCT, Laldia, Bay Terminal to foreigners? It will not be accepted in any way.”

Zafar Alam, convenor of Port Protection Council, said, “We want to clearly state that Chittagong Port is the sovereign property of Bangladesh. Foreigners will not interfere here. Chittagong Port Chairman himself as a representative of foreign interests.proved He must be removed immediately.”

Other speakers said that the workers will remain united to thwart the attempt to transfer the wealth of the nation in the name of foreign lease. They demanded cancellation of unreasonable tariff increase and transparency in the ongoing operations of the port.

Earlier on Saturday (November 1) in Chittagong Press Club premises, Shramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SCOP) leased Newmooring Container Terminal and Laldia Char to foreigners.A mass hunger strike was held to demand the end of the giving initiative. The hunger strikers warned that if the port is handed over to foreigners, there will be a severe movement across the country.

According to sources related to the port, currently the government is discussing at the highest level about foreign investment and management in NCT, Bay-Terminal and Laldia Terminal development projects. However, the labor unions associated with the port are opposing this decision.