Harassment at airport
This is to let you know that on September 29, 2009, I had flown to Thailand for a 15-day trip with a group of friends from Dhaka. On arrival, however, at the Thai airport, Shubarnabhumi, some immigration officers were asking to check our dollars in hand. Instantly, we showed them the dollars available along with our passports. Since we were in a group our group leader carried all the dollars. I could have shown them at least 200 dollars and some Thai Bahts as well. However, without any reason or explanation, the officers took my friend AKM Hassan and me into custody. The officers forced us to take pictures like convicts and also forced us to sign a paper, which was written in the Thai language. We were also held up for about four hours, before being deported. We were literally treated like criminals.
It is worth mentioning that I am involved with the media in Bangladesh and have a good reputation. I have travelled to many countries for both work purposes and personal reasons. I still cannot fully comprehend the behaviour of the immigration officers at the Thai airport.
I would also like to mention that I have visited Thailand several times. Being a proud citizen of Bangladesh, I felt humiliated and disgraced at the fact that I, along with my friend, was treated in such a way in a foreign country. I also cannot help wondering if this has become a normal behaviour of the Thai immigration officers to practically pounce on foreign guests in their country, especially those from Bangladesh and other countries from South Asia.
I would like the authorities to look into this seriously, so that something like this is not repeated in the future.
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