The High Court of Bangladesh has issued a split verdict regarding the legality of the Chittagong Port Authority’s ongoing process to sign an operational contract with a foreign company for managing the New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT). Justice Fatema Najib declared the contract process illegal, while Justice Fatema Anwar deemed it lawful. The verdict was delivered on Thursday, December 4. Following the split decision, the Chief Justice will now assign another High Court bench to resolve the matter. The ruling stems from a writ petition filed by the Bangladesh Young Economists Forum, which questioned the legality of outsourcing NCT operations to a foreign firm without ensuring fair and competitive public bidding. The petition cited media reports highlighting concerns over the decision to hand over the terminal despite its existing operational capacity. The Attorney General represented the state, while several senior lawyers appeared for the petitioner. The final outcome will depend on the decision of the newly assigned bench.