Change marine dept's rules to stop job cut
Demand seamen
Some Bangladeshi seamen here yesterday demanded Mercantile Marine Department to change two contradictory rules in the department's no objection certificate (NOC), which is leaving them jobless.
“The conditions are -- no seaman can join in foreign ships from ports of Bangladesh and foreign ships carrying the seamen will not be able to take berth in Bangladeshi ports,” they said.
They were speaking at a press conference organised by Bangladesh ID Holder Seamen Association (BIHSA) at Chittagong Press Club.
A total of 1,474 seamen have been working in foreign ships long before Bangladesh's independence showing only their passports. But after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, they had to have seamen book or identity (ID) cards, issued by the department, they said.
Since then, a committee formed by the shipping ministry and the department took an examination and demanded five certificates, which includes medical, experience and the passport and visa, before issuing NOC and ID, they said.
Though they achieve NOC, the conditions are terminating their jobs, they said.
“Already 72 seamen lost their jobs as the foreign owners sent their ships to Bangladeshi ports,” they said.
“We are not praying for our jobs. We only demand a change in the existing contradictory rules in NOC so that we can easily join ocean-going vessels and earn foreign currency for the country,” they added.
They also sought the prime minister's attention in this regard.
BIHSA President Md Mahbub Alam Chowdhury and Secretary Md Jahangir Alam were also present at the conference.
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