US soldiers 'disarmed' at airport
Dhaka, Apr 20 (bdnews24.com) – The US soldiers visiting to train Bangladesh Army were barred from entering Shahjalal International Airport carrying arms. The customs department seized their arms, which was returned to them at least 20 hours later.
Shahjalal Airport customs commissioner Masud Sadik told bdnews24.com that the problem occurred as the Bangladesh army personnel responsible for receiving the visiting US soldiers were unaware of the local customs law.
He said that the arms and tools were returned around 1pm on Wednesday after the airport customs authority were provided with the home ministry-authorised documents.
The airport customs officials said the US soldiers reached Dhaka on a special aircraft on Tuesday evening. They were carrying arms and tools to train Bangladesh Army. The customs authorities permitted the US soldiers to enter the airport, but did not allow them to bring in the arms.
Sadik said as no permission paper could be shown to enter with arms, they couldn't but seize those. The customs commissioner said the Bangladesh army personnel, who were to receive the soldiers, could neither provide relevant documents nor did have sufficient information about Bangladesh Customs Act. After they were informed about the local law, they secured permission from the home ministry on Wednesday noon.
"Carrying arms is naturally a very sensitive issue. The customs authorities would have had a lot of explanations to give if it did not demand and acquire necessary documents.''
Bangladesh Army, Armed Police Battalion and the customs authorities guarded the seized arms until those were returned to the soldiers.
When contacted, the assistant director of Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) Nuru Islam told bdnews24.com that he was not aware of the incident till then.
http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=193573&cid=2
http://jugantor.us/enews/issue/2011/04/21/news0427.php
Dhaka, Apr 20 (bdnews24.com) – The US soldiers visiting to train Bangladesh Army were barred from entering Shahjalal International Airport carrying arms. The customs department seized their arms, which was returned to them at least 20 hours later.
Shahjalal Airport customs commissioner Masud Sadik told bdnews24.com that the problem occurred as the Bangladesh army personnel responsible for receiving the visiting US soldiers were unaware of the local customs law.
He said that the arms and tools were returned around 1pm on Wednesday after the airport customs authority were provided with the home ministry-authorised documents.
The airport customs officials said the US soldiers reached Dhaka on a special aircraft on Tuesday evening. They were carrying arms and tools to train Bangladesh Army. The customs authorities permitted the US soldiers to enter the airport, but did not allow them to bring in the arms.
Sadik said as no permission paper could be shown to enter with arms, they couldn't but seize those. The customs commissioner said the Bangladesh army personnel, who were to receive the soldiers, could neither provide relevant documents nor did have sufficient information about Bangladesh Customs Act. After they were informed about the local law, they secured permission from the home ministry on Wednesday noon.
"Carrying arms is naturally a very sensitive issue. The customs authorities would have had a lot of explanations to give if it did not demand and acquire necessary documents.''
Bangladesh Army, Armed Police Battalion and the customs authorities guarded the seized arms until those were returned to the soldiers.
When contacted, the assistant director of Inter-Service Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) Nuru Islam told bdnews24.com that he was not aware of the incident till then.
http://bdnews24.com/details.php?id=193573&cid=2
http://jugantor.us/enews/issue/2011/04/21/news0427.php
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