Vested interests are conspiring to create an unstable situation in Chittagong Port to serve their petty interest by disrupting the congenial atmosphere existing in the country's main harbour since September last.
According to relevant sources, the joint forces took the responsibilities of the port on September 1, 2007 in order to restore law and order and maintain discipline in the port to ensure smooth functioning. After taking over of the port by the joint forces, the port users witnessed improvement in all activities of the port. As part of countrywide crackdown on corruption, some port officials along with Director (Traffic) and Terminal Manager and employees were sent to jail.
When contacted, some officials of Chittagong port said on condition of anonymity that the country's main sea port incurred huge financial losst for decades due to endless corruption by a well-organised group comprising political party-backed CBA leaders, port officials and political leaders. Because of restoration of law and order by the joint forces since September last, there is no container congestion in Chittagong port now though the international shipping companies were reluctant to carry goods to and from Chittagong port due to severe vessel and container congestion in this harbour. Once it was considered as one of the most expensive and corruption-plagued sea port in the globe.
But vested interest groups have become active again centering around tender invitation for appointment of operator to conduct the activities of the only specialized
container terminal of the port. The groups are trying to turn the country's harbour into an expensive and corruption-gripped sea port in the world to gain their object, it was alleged.
It may be mentioned that after taking over the port by the joint forces, the responsibility of the specialized container terminal and another one named NCT was handed over to a private-owned enterprise. Working under the supervision of joint forces, the private enterprise was able to improve overall port situation with in four months. The turn around of ships was reduced from 15 days to 2 days and container-related expenditure decreased from Taka 40,000 to Taka 20,000 as the consignees need not give bribe to the relevant officials to get their containers released though they had to give Taka 30,000- Taka 40,000 to the officials in this regard.
Sources said, the authorities concerned have recently invited tenders for appointment of container terminal operator in the port. They imposed several conditions which will not benefit the country and such conditions will only result in widespread irregularities and corruption in the port as before.
In the past, the private operators of the terminals were given the necessary equipment by the port authorities. But now the authorities said that the operators must have their own equipments to conduct the container terminal activities. Such conditions have been imposed by the port authorities so that no private operators can successfully run the container terminal activities. The port authorities will then be able to take the responsibilities of container terminals again on the plea of failure of the private operators, it is alleged.


Source: The Bangladesh Today