Harassment at airport by immigration officials
Noted persons barred from leaving country in the name of govt order
Several top political leaders and some parliament members belonging to the opposition political parties could not went abroad during the period for the said reason.
Harassment of eminent persons by immigration officials at Hazrat Shahjalal ® International Airport has become a common feature now a day.(The New Nation )
At least a dozen of persons were compelled to cancel their trips abroad for that reason till to-date since January this year, it was alleged.
The airport immigration officials are frequently harassing the distinguished persons at the departure lounge in the name of 'order' from the government high-level.
Several top political leaders and some parliament members belonging to the opposition political parties could not went abroad during the period for the said reason.
Some political personalities, such as, member of BNP standing committee Barrister Moudud Ahmed, vice chairman Barrister Nazmul Huda, joint secretary general Barrister Mahabub Uddin Khokan, joint secretary general of Jammat-e Islami Barrister Abdur Razzak, chairman of Diganta Media Limited Mir Quasem Ali and a number of renowned citizens had faced obstacles when they went to the airport to depart for various countries.
But they had to return home from the airport as they were not given clearance from the concerned authorities. However, most of them later went abroad after getting the court order.
Expressing deep dissatisfaction, a senior political leader expressing anonymity, said that it was not clear why the authorities were putting restriction on going abroad.
"So far I know, no court of this country has issued any order to prevent them from going abroad," he added.
Raising questions he said, "Are not we citizens of this country? Then why are not we getting the right for freedom of movement?"
Terming the incident 'unfortunate', some of the victims said that there should be a proper guideline in this regard so that nobody fall in any harassing situation in future by the immigration officials.
They suggested that the government should immediate prepare a list of those 'persons' who would not be allowed to leave the country to the airport authorities. They will only be allowed to visit abroad after the ban is lifted, the said.
According to sources, the Immigration authorities also create obstacles to those persons who have valid passports and visas, police clearance, and other necessary papers.
Sources said, most of them applied for going abroad for medical treatment, meeting family members and relatives, attending seminars or symposiums and various other reasons.
A source in the Ministry of Home Affairs said the government is yet to prepare any list mentioning persons. The criteria for preparing the list has been fixed, as whether anybody accused by the International War Crime Tribunal, fugitives of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib killing case, members of outlawed terrorist outfits, top ranking criminals and others.
But there is an allegation that concerned departments of the present government are putting restriction on the persons those are leaders of the main opposition political parties-- BNP and Jammat.
Meanwhile, secretary general of BNP Khondaker Delwar Hossain at a press conference recently alleged that the present government had prepared a list of 70 persons and they are not 'eligible' for going abroad.
"My name is also enlisted in that list," the BNP secretary general claimed.
At least a dozen of persons were compelled to cancel their trips abroad for that reason till to-date since January this year, it was alleged.
The airport immigration officials are frequently harassing the distinguished persons at the departure lounge in the name of 'order' from the government high-level.
Several top political leaders and some parliament members belonging to the opposition political parties could not went abroad during the period for the said reason.
Some political personalities, such as, member of BNP standing committee Barrister Moudud Ahmed, vice chairman Barrister Nazmul Huda, joint secretary general Barrister Mahabub Uddin Khokan, joint secretary general of Jammat-e Islami Barrister Abdur Razzak, chairman of Diganta Media Limited Mir Quasem Ali and a number of renowned citizens had faced obstacles when they went to the airport to depart for various countries.
But they had to return home from the airport as they were not given clearance from the concerned authorities. However, most of them later went abroad after getting the court order.
Expressing deep dissatisfaction, a senior political leader expressing anonymity, said that it was not clear why the authorities were putting restriction on going abroad.
"So far I know, no court of this country has issued any order to prevent them from going abroad," he added.
Raising questions he said, "Are not we citizens of this country? Then why are not we getting the right for freedom of movement?"
Terming the incident 'unfortunate', some of the victims said that there should be a proper guideline in this regard so that nobody fall in any harassing situation in future by the immigration officials.
They suggested that the government should immediate prepare a list of those 'persons' who would not be allowed to leave the country to the airport authorities. They will only be allowed to visit abroad after the ban is lifted, the said.
According to sources, the Immigration authorities also create obstacles to those persons who have valid passports and visas, police clearance, and other necessary papers.
Sources said, most of them applied for going abroad for medical treatment, meeting family members and relatives, attending seminars or symposiums and various other reasons.
A source in the Ministry of Home Affairs said the government is yet to prepare any list mentioning persons. The criteria for preparing the list has been fixed, as whether anybody accused by the International War Crime Tribunal, fugitives of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib killing case, members of outlawed terrorist outfits, top ranking criminals and others.
But there is an allegation that concerned departments of the present government are putting restriction on the persons those are leaders of the main opposition political parties-- BNP and Jammat.
Meanwhile, secretary general of BNP Khondaker Delwar Hossain at a press conference recently alleged that the present government had prepared a list of 70 persons and they are not 'eligible' for going abroad.
"My name is also enlisted in that list," the BNP secretary general claimed.
http://nation.ittefaq.com/issues/2010/10/03/news0943.htm
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