Chattogram Port Unions Call Two Protests Over DP World Terminal Concession

Bangladeshi port workers have called two fresh protests against a proposed concession that would put Chattogram's New Mooring Container Terminal under DP World. The Chattogram Port Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal and the Chattogram Bandar Rokkha Sangram Parishad announced a human chain from 15:00 to 16:00 on 22 September and a protest procession from Fakirhat to the One Stop area at 15:00 on 27 September.

The programme was announced by Humayun Kabir, president of the Chattogram Bandar Rokkha Sangram Parishad, and general secretary Ibrahim Khokon, after the groups gave the authorities two days to respond to their demands. They are seeking an end to steps towards transferring NCT operations to DP World, the withdrawal of a case involving 15 port employees following earlier protests, renewed recruitment for vacant port positions, and the removal of officials they say were involved in the proposed transaction. Khokon said the groups believe the government will put Bangladesh's interests first and will not allow a foreign company to operate NCT or any other facility of Chattogram Port.

The structure they are protesting is set out in Bangladesh's Public Private Partnership Authority project profile. Chittagong Port Authority plans to award a government-to-government concession to DP World, which was nominated by the Government of Dubai, for the upgrade, operation and maintenance of NCT and its overflow container yard. The profile puts the estimated project cost at $205m. Chittagong Port Authority and the PPP Authority appointed the International Finance Corporation as transaction adviser for due diligence, transaction structuring, concession documents and negotiations.

The legal route is now clear. Bangladesh's Supreme Court in March upheld a High Court ruling rejecting a challenge to the process, removing a legal obstacle to an agreement with a foreign operator. That is the second time the process has had to be restarted: the concession had previously been suspended following protests and work stoppages by port employees, with negotiations resuming with DP World this year.

The counterparty is one of the larger terminal groups in the market. DP World is headquartered in Dubai and reported 2025 revenue of $24.4bn and adjusted EBITDA of $6.4bn, with group gross throughput of 93.4m TEU.

For carriers the relevant question is operational rather than political. NCT handles a substantial share of the container volume moving through Bangladesh's principal gateway, and the previous round of stoppages showed how quickly a labour dispute at the terminal translates into waiting time for ships on the berth. The protests announced for this week are short and scheduled, but the demand list runs well beyond the concession itself, which is what makes the timetable after 27 September the part to watch.

This story is part of the Maritime Briefing of 22 September 2026.