The Chittagong Port Authority is considering seeking the assistance of the Bangladesh Navy in operating the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT). The matter has been discussed with the naval advisor, but no final decision has been made.

Shipping Advisor Brigadier General (Retd.) M Sakhawat Hossain visited Chittagong Port on Saturday. Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud was also present at the time. The matter was discussed in a meeting in their presence yesterday. It was informed there that the ministry will take a decision on this matter soon after talking to the higher levels of the government.

The port authority's contract with the current operator of NCT, Saif Power Tech, will end on July 6. After that, the government will decide whether the new operator will be domestic or foreign. In the interim, the port authority wants to operate NCT with the help of the Navy.

When asked, Port Secretary Md. Omar Faruk said, "No final decision has been made to operate the NCT. Discussions are underway on several possible routes. We will announce later whether we will operate it with the help of the Navy. Right now, everything is at the discussion stage."

The Shipping Advisor, accompanied by Planning Advisor Wahiduddin Mahmud, visited the port yesterday morning. Lutfe Siddiqui, the Chief Advisor's Special Envoy for International Affairs, was also present at the time.

While the two advisors were meeting, a road march program was being held in front of the port building. The program is being held under the banner of 'Anti-Imperialism Patriotic People', a group of leftist parties and organizations. The two-day program, which began on Friday, ended yesterday. One of the protesters' demands is to cancel the plan to hand over the management of Chittagong port, including the New Mooring Terminal, to foreigners.

NCT is the largest terminal in Bangladesh. This terminal has five jetties. Out of these five jetties, four are used for seagoing ships. One jetty can be used for inland waterway ships.

International Business Forum Chairman SM Abu Tayyab said that the previous government started the process of handing over the Newmooring Container Terminal to DP World of the United Arab Emirates. The current interim government has brought this process forward. There is a possibility of an agreement in November. The International Finance Corporation (IFC), an affiliate of the World Bank, is working as a transaction advisor or intermediary on behalf of the Bangladesh government on this terminal. Until the agreement is signed, the terminal may be operated with the assistance of the Navy.

The four jetties of NCT Terminal and two of CCT Terminal have been in the hands of Saif Power Tech for 17 years. They have been awarded work 11 times through direct procurement without competitive bidding. Each year, 62 percent of the containers handled by Chittagong Port are handled by the six jetties under Saif Power Tech. The remaining 38 percent of containers are handled by other jetties.