The Chattogram Port Authority has warned media organisations and port users against publishing or broadcasting photographs, videos, operational information and other materials related to the port without prior permission, citing security concerns.
The directive was issued in a notice published on Tuesday (6 October), covering a broad range of port-related material. It specifically refers to photographs, videos, designs and operational information concerning security arrangements, communication systems, ships, cargo handling operations, restricted areas and port infrastructure.
The notice also specifically mentions social media, online platforms and conventional media organisations. According to the authority, violations of the directive could lead to legal action under the Chattogram Port Authority Act, 2022, and the Official Secrets Act, 1923.
The notice was signed by Syed Refayet Hamim, acting secretary of the Chattogram Port Authority, and sent to editors and bureau chiefs of various media organisations.
The directive has drawn attention partly because of the timing of its issuance. Discussions and tensions surrounding the proposed 15-year lease of the New Mooring Container Terminal to foreign operator DP World have intensified in recent days. The terminal is a significant part of the port’s container-handling operations, making decisions concerning its management a matter of considerable public and commercial interest.
Against this backdrop, the sudden restrictions on the publication of port-related information have prompted questions among different quarters about the scope and implications of the new instructions.
The controversy surrounding the New Mooring Container Terminal has also led to protests. Demonstrators have demanded the resignation of Chattogram Port Authority Chairman Rear Admiral S M Moniruzzaman. They have accused him of acting as an ‘agent of DP World’, although the allegation has been made by the protesters.
The protesters have also threatened to surround the chairman’s office on 13 October and prevent him from leaving the premises.
The latest directive therefore comes at a particularly sensitive moment for the port. While the authority has cited security as the reason for restricting the dissemination of certain material, questions remain over how the restrictions will be applied in practice, particularly when information concerns issues of public interest.
Chattogram Port is a critical gateway for Bangladesh’s international trade, handling a substantial share of the country’s import and export activities. Information about its operations, infrastructure and management can therefore have significance beyond the port itself, particularly when major decisions involving terminals and their future management are under discussion.
There is also a distinction between genuinely sensitive security information and information that is relevant to public debate. Photographs or details that could expose security arrangements may reasonably require controlled access. At the same time, journalists and the public may seek information about administrative decisions, operational changes and issues involving public assets.
The new instructions have consequently raised a broader question: whether the measures are intended solely to protect sensitive port infrastructure and security arrangements, or whether they could also affect the reporting of matters involving legitimate public interest. How the Chattogram Port Authority interprets and enforces the directive is likely to determine the extent of that impact.
