Brigadier (Retd.) Sakhawat Hossain, adviser to the Ministry of Shipping, said on Sunday that the ongoing protests at Chattogram Port cannot continue by holding 180 million people hostage. Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat, he described the protesters’ demands as trivial and confirmed that the government would now adopt a hardline stance. He also mentioned that several individuals involved had already been arrested.

The adviser alleged that some groups were attempting to create unrest ahead of the upcoming national election. He warned that if the election in Chattogram did not take place, questions could arise about the entire national election. Referring to the upcoming holy month of Ramadan, he noted that essential commodities such as lentils, oil, and chickpeas are imported through the port, and a few people were disrupting this vital supply chain.

On the issue of the port contract, Sakhawat Hossain said that DP World had sent a letter to the chief adviser requesting additional time for the signing process.