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that negotiations with DP World were continuing. “There has been no change in the process,” the secretary said.

Explaining the first letter, he said the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority had provided its opinion on the matter, and the ministry’s initial communication was issued based on that feedback. After the Chattogram Port Authority sought further clarification, a second letter was sent instructing officials to continue negotiations, he added.

A port official said that the day after receiving the ministry’s letters, the Chattogram Port Authority formed an evaluation committee to complete the negotiation process. In a letter issued on Friday, a weekly holiday, the authority sought ministry approval for a seven-member committee.

The move to lease NCT to DP World under a PPP and government-to-government (G2G) framework was initiated during the tenure of the Awami League government but could not be completed.

Under the interim government, the initiative advanced to the final stage of negotiations. The process later became complicated due to objections raised by members of the negotiation committee and labour unrest over the proposed involvement of DP World. Eventually, the interim government suspended the leasing process on February 9.

The issue resurfaced after the BNP formed the government. At the fourth meeting of the Bangladesh–Dubai Joint Public-Private Partnership Platform on April 8, DP World proposed operating NCT together with the adjacent Chittagong Container Terminal (CCT) as an integrated terminal facility.