Ashiq Chowdhury, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of the Public Private Partnership (PPP) Authority and Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA), has said that there is no possibility of signing a lease agreement for the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) of Chittagong Port to the United Arab Emirates-based company DP World during the tenure of the current interim government.
Ashiq Chowdhury made this statement at a press conference organized at the Foreign Service Academy on Bailey Road in the capital on Sunday. The Chief Advisor’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam was present at the time.
At the press conference, Ashiq Chowdhury said that a letter was received from DP World today, Sunday. The letter arrived at the office of the Chief Advisor this morning. In the letter, DP World praised the progress of the ongoing negotiations on the lease agreement and expressed satisfaction with it. They expressed hope that these negotiations will progress further in the future and go in the right direction. Along with praising the progress of the negotiations, DP World said that they have received the shared draft concession agreement and reviewed it in detail. However, they have asked for some time to review it further.
Ashiq Chowdhury said, “The interim government has two more working days to officially end its term. Since they (DP World) have asked for time, the matter may go beyond the current government’s term and the negotiations may continue again after the election.”
Responding to journalists’ questions on this matter, Ashiq Chowdhury said, ‘The agreement is not being signed during this government, I think, considering the level of certainty. Because there are two more working days. They (DP World) will return within that time, then we will take it to our cabinet for approval and sign it, considering the time, this process will be very difficult.’
Ashiq Chowdhury said that work on leasing the New Mooring Terminal to DP World began in 2019. Negotiations for the final phase of the project began in the last month.
Ashiq Chowdhury said, “Work is ongoing very intensively on the issue at various levels of the government. Discussions are ongoing with various levels of the government and this discussion and negotiation process will continue. However, some more time may be required to complete the entire process.”