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<\/a>The march, jointly organised by the Left Democratic Alliance, Anti-Fascist Left Bloc, Bangladesh JASAD, Jatiya Gano Front and supported by student organisations, began after a rally at the National Press Club around 11:30am. Protesters attempted to march toward Jamuna, the official residence of Muhammad Yunus, to press their demand to scrap what they called \u201cnon-transparent and anti-national\u201d agreements to hand over the Laldia-Pangaon, New Mooring, and Patenga terminals to foreign operators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Fate of Chittagong Port\u2019s NCT management hangs in balance amid controversy<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Laldia Port: Outrage grows as illegitimate Yunus regime inks Chittagong Port deal<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yunus Regime\u2019s Fourth Agenda: Journalist Masood Kamal slams port handovers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Police blocked <\/a>the procession at Kakrail around 12:20pm. Demonstrators allege that police carried out an unprovoked baton charge, injuring at least 25\u201330 activists. Among the injured were senior leaders such as CPB general secretary Abdullah Kafy Al Ratan, CPB central committee member Kazi Ruhul Amin, BASAD (Marxist) leader Seema Datta, and several student activists.<\/p>\n\n\n\n In a strongly worded statement issued on behalf of the Democratic Rights Committee, noted economist Professor Anu Muhammad on Friday condemned the police action as \u201cfascist-style repression\u201d and accused the interim government of rushing secretive port deals that harm national interest, citing media revelations of irregularities and possible conflicts of interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, Masud Alam, Deputy Commissioner (Ramna Division) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, rejected the baton-charge allegation. Speaking to Prothom Alo, he stated that rallies and processions are prohibited near the chief adviser\u2019s residence, a rule repeatedly communicated to the organisers. \u201cWhen they still tried to proceed, police formed a barricade. There was pushing and shoving, but it cannot be called a baton charge. We simply prevented them from moving forward,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the confrontation, protesters staged a brief sit-in at Kakrail before returning to the National Press Club around 1:10pm. BASAD general secretary Bazlur Rashid Firoz announced a fresh protest rally in front of the Press Club at 4pm on Friday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Journalist MA Aziz, BNP leader Moni slam Yunus for serving foreign powers<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nobel for Yunus meant for gaining control of Chittagong Port, Bay of Bengal<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The incident occurred amid escalating national controversy over the interim government\u2019s port leasing plans. On Thursday, the High Court delivered a split verdict on a writ petition challenging the legality of the leasing process: one judge declared it unlawful and called for suspension, while the other upheld the government\u2019s authority. The case has been referred to a third judge for a final decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Critics, particularly from left and nationalist circles, continue to accuse the Yunus administration of undue haste and lack of transparency, alleging the deals favour foreign (especially US-linked) companies at the expense of Bangladesh\u2019s sovereignty and revenue. The government has so far maintained that the leasing will bring efficiency and investment to the port without compromising national interest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n As legal uncertainty persists and public opposition grows, left-wing groups have vowed to intensify their movement until all ongoing foreign leasing processes at Chittagong Port are scrapped. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The Communist Party of Bangladesh (CPB) condemned the action as a “brutal and pre-planned attack.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n The CPB claimed that General Secretary Abdullah Kafi Ratan was “thrown onto the road and brutally beaten,” while central committee member and labour leader Kazi Ruhul Amin suffered injuries from police assault.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Ishtehar: The reason why the US wants to build a base in Bangladesh<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n Yunus to hand over Chittagong Port to US-linked DP World in December<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n The party said over 50 leaders and activists were injured and demanded the immediate removal of the Home Affairs Adviser and the Special Assistant to the Chief Adviser on Home Affairs, citing targeted repression of opposition voices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Revolutionary Workers Party General Secretary Saiful Haque also denounced the assault, declaring that “the country’s important container terminal cannot be handed over to foreigners through attacks and oppression.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n In Sylhet, police similarly obstructed a protest march by the Left Democratic Alliance and Anti-Fascist Left Front, preventing local leaders from holding a demonstration in solidarity with the Dhaka rally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Port workers vow fierce resistance<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Workers in Chittagong took to the streets <\/a>on Friday, demanding that the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA) scrap its lease agreements for Laldia and the Pangaon terminals and abandon any move to lease out the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT).<\/p>\n\n\n The Chittagong Sramik Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP), a platform uniting dozens of port and industrial workers\u2019 unions, organised a massive workers\u2019 rally followed by a torch procession in the Sagorika industrial area at 4pm, drawing hundreds of leaders and workers from various labour groups.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jatiya Sramik Dal’s Chittagong Divisional General Secretary Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar presided over the event, while Trade Union Centre (TUC) Central Committee Organiser Fazlul Kabir Mintu conducted the programme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n USS Fitzgerald in Bangladesh: Goodwill or geopolitical gambit?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n US-backed drone facility set to launch in Bangladesh soon<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/dailyrepublicbd.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/chittagong-port-yunus-oct-16-2006-1024x581.jpg\")