SC upholds HC verdict allowing govt to lease NCT to DP World

The Supreme Court today affirmed a High Court verdict that upheld the government’s move to lease out the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to UAE-based DP World.

A four-member bench of the Appellate Division headed by Chief Justice Zubayer Rahman Chowdhury dismissed a leave-to-appeal petition filed in February by the Bangladesh Jubo Arthanitibid Forum, challenging the High Court judgement.

There is no legal bar for the government  to lease out the New Mooring Container Terminal to DP World following the apex court order, Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque told The Daily Star.

Details of the order will be known once the full text of the verdict is released.

In the petition, the organisation sought an order to maintain the status quo on the process of awarding the contract for container handling at the terminal to DP World.

It argued that executing the contract concerning the terminal shortly before the election would amount to “manifest executive high-handedness, arbitrariness, and malafide exercise of power” by the respondents, referring to the government.

On January 29, Justice Md Rezaul Haque, a chamber judge of the Appellate Division, passed “no order” on the petition.

Earlier the same day, the High Court rejected a writ petition filed by the organisation challenging the legality of the government’s move to award the contract to DP World for container handling at the terminal.

Lawyers Ahsanul Karim, Syed Mamun Mahbub and Md Anwar Hossen appeared for Bangladesh Jubo Arthanitibid Forum, while Additional Attorney General Aneek R Haque represented the state.