Workers and employees under the banner of Sramik-Karmachari Oikya Parishad (SKOP) staged a red-flag procession in Chattogram yesterday, protesting the government's move to lease out terminals at Chattogram Port to foreign companies.

The programme, held in the morning at Dewanhat intersection, was a continuation of protests by labour organisations over the past few months against the leasing of New Mooring Container Terminal (NCT) to a foreign operator, as well as the lease agreements for Laldia Char and Pangaon terminals.

Kazi Sheikh Nurullah Bahar, general secretary of the Jatiyatabadi Sramik Dal's Chattogram divisional unit, and SK Khoda Toton, central president of Bangladesh Sramik Federation, were among those present.

Addressing the SKOP event, labour leaders reiterated that the port is public property and must not be handed over to foreign entities.

They demanded that the shipping adviser withdraw his recent comments regarding allegations of extortion at port terminals and that the lease agreements for Laldia and Pangaon terminals be scrapped. They warned of tougher actions otherwise.

"Gathering inside port areas is prohibited. Protesters were instructed to end the programme at Agrabad. They complied and dispersed peacefully," said Babul Azad, officer-in-charge of Double Mooring Police Station.