“High Court Sets Nov. 19 Hearing on DP World Contract Challenge”

The High Court has scheduled a hearing for November 19 to address a legal challenge against the government’s decision to begin the process of granting UAE-based company DP World the contract for container handling operations at the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) in Chattogram. Justices Fatema Najib and Fatema Anwar of the HC bench fixed the date following a petition requesting an order to maintain the current state of affairs regarding the contract award to DP World. The petitioner’s legal representatives urged the court to ensure the status quo until the hearing of the case. On the other hand, Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman opposed the issuance of a status quo, promising that the government would not proceed with awarding the container handling contract until the legal matter is resolved. The petition was filed by the Bangladesh Jubo Arthanitibid Forum, citing concerns that granting the contract to DP World, a wholly foreign-owned company, could undermine the country’s national interests and security. Barrister Md Anwar Hossen, representing the petitioner, highlighted that the decision to award the contract to DP World was made by the previous government in 2019 and is now being pursued by the current administration. The legal teams involved in the case include senior lawyers Zainul Abedin, AM Mahbub Uddin Khokon, Ahansul Karim, and Kayser Kamal, alongside lawyer Md Anwar Hossen for the petitioner, and Attorney General Md Asaduzzaman and Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque for the state. In a related development, a separate HC bench issued a rule on July 30 this year, questioning the legality of awarding the NCT container handling contract to DP World without an open tender, which is still under review by the High Court.