Is Yunus’ claim about Chattogram Port true?
Yunus claimed that his government has contacted the “best” and “most experienced” terminal operators in the world to allay concerns and protests about awarding the Chattogram seaport contracts.
The Eid address by Bangladesh’s chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, on June 6th sought to clear the air after a month of uncertainty with a declaration of a possible timeframe for the next general election. Less conspicuous was his explanation for awarding the contract to operate the country’s largest seaport in Chattogram.
“We have contacted those [terminal operators] who are the best in the world, the most experienced, in managing the ports,” Yunus said. Based on this premise, he urged in the strongest possible tone, “Resist those who are opposing [the decision].”
However, the most prominent ranking of global terminal operators shows that DP World, the terminal operator contacted by Yunus’ government to manage the most significant New Mooring Container Terminal of the port, is not the “best in the world” nor the “most experienced” in managing seaports across the globe. Although the government has continued contact established under the former Awami League regime with several other operators, including PSA International, regarding bay terminals at the port, the sweeping statement from the head of the interim government is at the very least misleading, if not false.
In 2018, DP World, a terminal operator based in the United Arab Emirates, expressed interest in managing the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram seaport, when the Awami League, led by Sheikh Hasina, was in power. Two years later, DP World proposed a $1 billion investment in Bangladesh to modernise Chattogram port and build a new bay terminal. A year later, the Awami League government in principle agreed on a public-private partnership (PPP) model for international private operators to manage the NCT.
Meanwhile, PSA International of Singapore has been in touch with the Bangladesh government since 2020, regarding the development of the bay terminal at the Chattogram port as a part of a planned expansion of the port facilities. These conversations, limited to the bay terminal expansion and excluding the operations of the NCT, have continued under the interim government.
After Hasina’s ouster on August 5th 2024, in a popular uprising, things sped up under Chief Adviser Yunus. Reports suggest that the contract allowing DP World to operate the NCT at the port is at the final stage. On May 15th 2025, he supported appointing DP World to manage the NCT at the country’s largest seaport, stating during his visit to the port, “The world has moved ahead, and we are far behind.”
Amid concerns from political parties and protests by workers at the port, Yunus reiterated his position in a public address on June 6th, hours before Eid day. He referred to the Chattogram port as the “heart of Bangladesh’s economy,” stating that it is essential to bring in experts because the heart has to be “strengthened.”
“We have contacted those who are the best and most experienced in port management worldwide. They operate ports around the world, including in Europe, Canada, Australia, China, South Korea, India, Pakistan, Turkey, the Middle East and Africa,” Yunus said.
The Global Container Terminal Operators Annual Review and Forecast 2024/25, published by Drewry, a leading international provider of research and consulting services to the maritime and shipping industries, ranks DP World fifth among port handlers, with 44.3 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU) adjusted for the ownership stake in each terminal, while PSA International founded in 1961, is at the top with 62.6 million TEU, followed by two Chinese firms with around 50 million TEU. Among the ranked global operators, DP World is the newest, having been founded in 2005.
The Bangladesh Public Procurement Authority has no listings pertaining to public tendering processes for NCTs or port expansions in the past six months. If DP World is awarded the contract to run the NCT at the Chattogram Port, Yunus’ comments during his Eid address will warrant greater clarity and transparency on this matter from the chief adviser and his government.●
This article and its title have been updated, adding more context to reflect clarifications provided by the CA Press Wing.