Foreign sailors at seaport denied shore-leave pass

Chittagong Port immigration police have temporality stopped issuing shore-leave pass to foreign sailors, leaving them in a quandary as they cannot get in the mainland Bangladesh to meet exigencies.
Shore leave is permission that professional sailors get to spend time on dry land. During the leave, they usually get busy doing banking, shopping and other personal activities.
They also take health treatments from local doctors, if they feel necessary.
The immigration unit of the Chittagong Port did not issue any pass Tuesday though more than 100 crewpersons wanted it to do their personal work.
On average 200 foreign sailors usually get the pass through completing customs procedures after berthing ships at the seaport jetties.
The local offices of foreign ships alleged that one police official who is now officer-in-charge (OC) at the port unit has long been harassing the foreigner operating ships.
They made formal complaints against the police official to the additional inspection-general of police on July 09. They also complained to the Chittagong Port Authority (CPA).
The Financial Express (FE) obtained a copy of the complaint, in which the local representatives said the immigration office of Chittagong Port stopped issuing pass as a measure of "retaliation" against the local representatives of foreign ships.
Contacted, Fazlur Rahman Farooqui, the OC of the immigration unit of Chittagong Port, told the FE that the allegations made against him were completely 'untrue' and 'baseless'.
He said pass actually was not halted. "We wanted photograph in the applications but they did not comply."
He adds: "We're seeking photograph along with the application as per latest instructions made by the higher police authority since July 01."
Mr Farooqui said he never wanted any beer, wine and cash dollar in exchange for the pass.
Bangladesh Shipping Agents Association (BSAA) in a letter to the higher authorities of police on July 09 expressed concern over 'extortion' and 'harassment' of foreign ship crews at the hands of the immigration unit of cops.
BSAA also made a written complaint to the CPA about the matter.
Ahsanul Huq, vice-chairman of the BSAA, told the FE that they came to know about the latest developments like halting issuance of the shore-leave pass.
He sees it as detrimental to the fundamental human rights as many of the crewmen need treatments.
The association leader said sailors usually attach photos with leave application.
Enjoying leave is a fundamental right of the crews as per the international laws, he noted.
"Many crews become sick and they need treatments and so they need pass to consult local doctors," he said.
The BSAA vice-chair feared such unwelcome developments would also tarnish image of Bangladesh's port.
jaismharoon@yahoo.com