DP World signs 15-year deal to run New Mooring Container Terminal at Chattogram Port
Bangladesh signed a 15-year concession with UAE-based DP World to modernise and operate the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chattogram (Chittagong) Port. Police dispersed left-wing protesters who opposed the deal.
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The story, neutrally told
Mixed · 2On Thursday 8 October 2026, Bangladesh and UAE-based DP World signed a 15-year concession agreement in Dhaka for the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chattogram (Chittagong) Port. Anadolu AgencyN “Bangladesh signed a 15-year concession agreement Thursday with UAE-based DP World to modernize and operate a major container terminal” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Arab NewsRC “DP World and the Chattogram Port Authority signed the agreement in Dhaka” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2The terminal handles about 44% of the port's container traffic, and the port handles around 92% of Bangladesh's foreign trade, according to Arab News. Arab NewsRC “handling around 92 percent of Bangladesh’s foreign trade” Read at Arab News ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “which handles approximately 44% of the port’s container traffic” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Centre · 1Anadolu Agency reported that Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Adm. Md Moniruzzaman and DP World Chairman Essa Kazim signed, with Shipping Minister Sheikh Rabiul Alam and UAE Ambassador Abdulla Ali Al Hamoudi attending. Anadolu AgencyN “Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Adm. Md Moniruzzaman and DP World Chairman Essa Kazim signed the agreement in Dhaka, according to a government statement.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1Ownership of the land and infrastructure stays with Bangladesh. DP World will modernise and operate the terminal. Anadolu AgencyN “ownership of the land and infrastructure will remain with Bangladesh” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Right · 1Under the deal, DP World will pay an upfront fee of 6 billion taka ($48 million) and commit up to 10 billion taka ($81 million) over the first 10 years for modernisation, equipment and technology, according to Invest Bangladesh. Local employment will continue. Arab NewsRC “an upfront fee of 6 billion Bangladeshi Taka ($48 million) and an investment commitment of up to 10 billion Bangladeshi Taka ($81 million)” Read at Arab News ↗ Mixed · 2The terminal has faced long container dwell times, long vessel time in port and problems with equipment performance and productivity since it began operating in 2007. It was last run by Chittagong Dry Dock Limited, a state-owned company managed by the Bangladesh Navy, which took over in July 2025 after private operator Saif Powertec's nearly 18-year tenure ended. Arab NewsRC “long container dwell times, vessel time in port, equipment performance and productivity” Read at Arab News ↗ Anadolu AgencyN “which took over in July 2025 after private operator Saif Powertec’s nearly 18-year tenure ended” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Right · 1Officials presented the deal as a way to improve efficiency. Shipping Minister Rabiul Alam said the government's wider policy is to engage multiple international operators across terminals, and the port authority chairman said the agreement would ease logistics constraints. Arab NewsRC “Our wider policy is to engage multiple international operators across terminals, improving service quality and reliability”“this agreement will enhance operational performance, ease logistics constraints” Read at Arab News ↗ Right · 1Economist Selim Raihan told Arab News that foreign investment could help if DP World delivers what it promised, but he urged more emphasis on developing the whole supply chain. Arab NewsRC ““If what was promised by DP World is delivered, it will definitely help.” Read at Arab News ↗ Centre · 1Outside the signing venue, police baton-charged demonstrators, according to Anadolu citing Prothom Alo. The protesters were activists from several left-wing organisations, including the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB). Anadolu AgencyN “police baton-charged demonstrators outside the signing venue, dispersing activists from several left-wing organizations, including the Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB)” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗
Centre · 1CPB President Sazzad Zahir Chandan accused the government of compromising national sovereignty, and the party said several protesters, including Chandan, were injured. Anadolu AgencyN “CPB President Sazzad Zahir Chandan accused the government of compromising national sovereignty through the agreement.” Read at Anadolu Agency ↗ Right · 1The deal follows a December 2023 22-year concession under which Saudi firm Red Sea Gateway Terminal runs Chattogram's Patenga Container Terminal, the first foreign operator of a Bangladeshi port. Arab NewsRC “Saudi port developer Red Sea Gateway Terminal became the first foreign company operating Bangladeshi ports, under a 22-year concession agreement” Read at Arab News ↗
Every sentence links to the reporting it rests on. The pill in front of each says where its sources sit: Left, Centre or Right when one side supplies at least half of them, Mixed when they are evenly split. The number is how many outlets it cites.
Left0 outlets
No left outlet in our sources has covered this story yet.
Centre2 outlets
- Framing
- Anadolu leads with the signing and the police action against protesters opposing foreign management of the terminal.
- Emphasis
- Protest, sovereignty accusation, the terminal's recent Navy-linked operator and the retained state ownership.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Gives no deal financials, such as the upfront fee and investment pledge, and no expert assessment.
- Charged language
- “baton-charged”
- For example
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“police dispersed protesters opposing the deal” — Anadolu Agency
“accused the government of compromising national sovereignty” — Anadolu Agency
Right1 outlet
- Framing
- Arab News presents the deal as a business and logistics upgrade for Bangladesh's main trade gateway, with officials' and an economist's comments.
- Emphasis
- Fee and investment figures, the terminal's past performance problems, official quotes and the earlier Saudi concession.
- Leaves out or plays down
- Does not mention the protests, the police action or the sovereignty objections.
- Charged language
- “logistics giant”
What every side reports
- A 15-year concession for the New Mooring Container Terminal at Chattogram Port was signed in Dhaka on 8 October 2026.
- The terminal handles about 44% of the port's container traffic.
- Foreign participation in Chattogram's terminals is expanding, including a Saudi-operated terminal.
Where accounts differ
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Whether the deal serves Bangladesh's interest
- Centre
- Anadolu reports CPB's accusation that the deal compromises national sovereignty, and that police dispersed protesters.
- Right
- Arab News presents the deal as an efficiency upgrade backed by officials and an economist, and does not mention the protest.
DP World organisation
DP World will modernise and operate the terminal under the 15-year concession, with an upfront fee and an investment commitment, as reported by Invest Bangladesh.
“DP World agreed to provide an upfront fee of 6 billion Bangladeshi Taka ($48 million)” — Arab News
Chittagong Port place
The port is Bangladesh's busiest. Officials say the deal will ease congestion and productivity problems at the NCT.
“Chittagong Port, which is officially known as the Chattogram Port, is the main gateway for Bangladesh’s ocean cargo import and export” — Arab News
Left0 articles
No coverage yet.
Centre2 articles
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Bangladesh signs 15-year port deal with UAE-based DP World
Neutral Short news report pairing the signing with the police action against left-wing protesters and the sovereignty charge.
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Right1 article
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UAE’s DP World to operate major terminal in Bangladesh’s largest port
Sympathetic Business-focused account of the deal as an efficiency upgrade, relying on officials and an economist; omits the protests.
- 8 Oct 13:42 First Arab NewsRC UAE’s DP World to operate major terminal in Bangladesh’s largest port
- 8 Oct 14:41 +59m Anadolu AgencyN Bangladesh signs 15-year port deal with UAE-based DP World
- 8 Oct 15:30 +1h 48m The NationalN DP World signs 15-year concession for terminal at Bangladesh's Chittagong port
Times are when each article was published, or when we first saw it if the outlet gave no time.