Labour Unions Call For Sit-In Protest At Bangladesh’s Chattogram Port Over Terminal Lease

A peaceful protest is being organised on October 5, 2026, against the government’s decision to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at the Chattogram Port, Bangladesh.

The sit-in would continue for the entire day in front of the port’s headquarters to draw the attention of the authorities to workers’ rights and concerns over the decision through peaceful means.

A meeting was held at the Chattogram Press Club’s Sultan Ahmad Hall, which was organised by the Chattogram Port Protection Committee to hold discussions about the proposed lease.

It was attended by Convener Engineer Delwar Majumder and Member Secretary Fazlul Kabir Mintu.

The representatives of the Bangladesh Federation of Trade Unions (BFTUC), Union of private healthcare workers, the Youth Trade Union Network, the Socialist Workers Front, Community Centre Workers’ Union and the Port Winch Crane Operators Association also attended the meeting and pledged their support.

The leaders of unions and labour federations urged workers and other port officials to join the sit-in.

They also said that Chattogram is a principal port which handles the majority of the country’s international trade, and any decision regarding its management or development affects thousands of people working at the facility.

The leaders went on to say that the government must uphold the workers’ rights and interests, along with national security, while making any decision regarding the port.

They have asked government officials to explain how leasing the port would be beneficial for the country and the workforce. They also urged the authorities to prepare an assessment of the potential impact of the lease and the chances of financial losses.

The leaders stressed that authorities should not interpret the peaceful demonstration as a weakness, or unions would be forced to use blockades and strikes on a mass scale, which would disrupt operations.