The High Court has declared the Chittagong Port Authority’s agreement with a foreign company to operate the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port valid. With the ruling in this regard dismissed, there is no longer any legal obstacle to the implementation of the agreement.
A single bench of Justice Zafar Ahmed delivered the verdict on Thursday. Earlier, after a divided opinion in a dual bench on the same issue, the matter was sent to a single bench on the orders of the Chief Justice for resolution.
Last July, a rule was issued challenging the validity of the NCT management contract process. The writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Young Economists Forum raised the question of awarding the responsibility of operating the terminal to a foreign company without a fair and competitive tender.
After hearing all parties, the court dismissed the rule and declared the agreement process valid, paving the way for the Chittagong Port Authority to sign an agreement with a foreign company to operate the NCT.