Coordinator of Chittagong Port Protection Council Ibrahim Khokon Arrested

Ibrahim Khokon, a prominent coordinator of the Chittagong Port Protection Struggle Council and general secretary of the Port Nationalist Workers’ Party, was detained on Monday evening (9 February) from the port area. His arrest follows his active participation in protests against the government’s decision to lease the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) at Chittagong Port to the UAE-based firm DP World.

According to Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP), although initial details were not immediately disclosed, late on Monday night, Aminur Rashid, Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) of CMP, confirmed that a Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) team had taken Khokon into custody and handed him over to the port police station. Khokon is currently under questioning, and legal measures will be taken against him following verification and investigation.

The protests, initially launched by the Port Nationalist Workers’ Party on 31 January, began as a work stoppage at Chittagong Port opposing the NCT lease to foreign investors. Over time, the movement expanded under the banner of the Chittagong Port Protection Struggle Council. The strike was temporarily suspended on Sunday (8 February), and Khokon’s arrest occurred the following day, raising tensions among labour activists.

Leaders of the Chittagong Workers’ and Employees’ Unity Council (CWEUC) have strongly condemned the detention. In a statement, they accused the authorities of deliberately avoiding peaceful resolution, pushing workers into confrontational situations. The statement further claimed that Khokon’s arrest, following the earlier detention of five port workers on Sunday, is a calculated attempt to provoke unrest. They demanded the immediate and unconditional release of all detained workers.

Key signatories of the statement include A.M. Nazim Uddin and Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar (Nationalist Workers’ Party), Tapan Dutta (TUC), S.K. Khoda Toton and Iftikhar Kamal Khan (CWEUC), Khorshedul Alam, Kazi Anwarul Haq Huni, Nurul Absar Tauhid, and other prominent labour leaders.

Summary Table:

The ongoing controversy over foreign leasing of Chittagong Port terminals has brought the issue of labour rights and national interest into sharp focus, highlighting the growing tensions between government policy and organised workers’ movements. Authorities now face the challenge of addressing both security concerns and the legitimate demands of port employees.