Dhaka, Nov 26 (V7N) – The High Court has concluded hearings on a petition questioning the legality of the ongoing contract process between Chattogram Port Authority and a foreign company for operating the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT). The court will deliver its verdict on December 4.

A bench comprising Justice Fatema Nuzib and Justice Fatema Anwar scheduled the ruling after concluding the hearing on Tuesday.

Following the hearing, Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman stated that the interim government has the same authority to make decisions as an elected government. “What an elected government can do, the Chief Adviser and advisers of the caretaker government can also perform constitutionally,” he said.

The petitioners were represented by Barrister Jamir Uddin Sarkar, Advocate Ahsanul Karim, Barrister Mahbub Uddin Khokon, and Barrister Kaiser Kamal. The government was represented by Attorney General Md. Asaduzzaman and Additional Attorney General Anik R. Haque.

Addressing the media, the Attorney General said the petition claims that, under Section 7 of the PPP Act, only the Prime Minister and the Cabinet can take such decisions, and since they are not in place, the current government cannot act on NCT. “We argued that the interim government can perform these duties constitutionally,” he said.

He further clarified that preliminary discussions are underway with a company regarding NCT and that misleading public perceptions are being created suggesting the port is being handed over. “No final decision has been made. The process is still in its early stage, and judicial review at this point is not warranted,” he added.

The petition was filed by Mirza Walid Hossain, President of the Bangladesh Young Economists Forum, seeking clarity on why the ongoing contract process should not be declared legally unauthorized. The petition named the Shipping Secretary, the Chairman of Chattogram Port Authority, and the CEO of the PPP Authority as respondents.

The Attorney General emphasized that political leaders, including BNP Acting Chairman Tarek Rahman, prefer that the elected government make decisions regarding the port. He reiterated that the interim government has the authority to make the same decisions as an elected government.

END/KMD/SMA/