Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun -Photo: Collected

DHAKA, Feb 08 (BSS) - Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, chief executive officer of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Authority, has confirmed that the global port operator DP World is satisfied with the progress of ongoing negotiations regarding the New Mooring Container Terminal (NMCT).

"DP World expressed its appreciation for the negotiation progress achieved thus far. The 100% state-owned entity indicated it is happy with the current direction of the discussions and remains optimistic that the partnership will continue to grow in the right direction," he said.

The PPP Authority made the remarks at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy.

Despite the positive feedback on the process, Ashik Chowdhury noted that DP World has requested additional time to review the Draft Concession Agreement.

With only two working days remaining in the current schedule, he suggested a high probability that these negotiations will continue beyond the upcoming election period and into the next administration to ensure a thorough review.

He clarified that the project is being conducted under a Government-to-Government (G2G) framework, stemming from a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between two governments. 

The primary entities involved in this project-specific partnership are the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) and DP World, he added.

While the PPP authority is deeply involved in the process to ensure the negotiations are streamlined, Ashik Chowdhury emphasized that they do not act as the final decision-makers; rather, they support the contracting authority throughout the process.

Although the NMCT project was initially launched in 2019, he said, it has entered a final and highly intensive stage of negotiation over the past month.

These talks are currently ongoing across various levels of the government to reach a successful conclusion, he added.

Ashik Chowdhury, however, said that improving Bangladesh's port efficiency and infrastructure is important for successful LDC graduation and attracting foreign investment. 

He highlight that Bangladesh must operate global-standard ports to shed the image of being "inefficient and corrupt."

Ashik Chowdhury stressed that deep national interest issues, such as port development, should be mandatory and require political consensus. 

He lamented that political divisions often lead to opposition for the sake of opposition, which hinders the country's progress. 

He expressed hope that future governments will follow the established project pipeline to see significant investment improvements within the next three to five years.

Chief Adviser's Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, among others, was present on the occasion.