National image takes hit as fake maritime certificate issue surfaces

CHITTAGONG, Jan 6: Bangladesh’s image in the global maritime industry has dipped its lowest ebb after activities of the state-run department of shipping and other organs came under scrutiny by the IMO and ILO for quite some time, officials said.

Issuance of fake competency certificate (COC), certificate of registration (COR), continuous discharge certificate (CDC) and non-recognised identity document (ID) have jeopardised Bangladesh seamen’s job in the global market.

The officials said that recent accident of a Canadian flag ship at Japan Sea and subsequent discovery of fake certificates of captain and chief engineer allegedly issued by the Bangladesh authority made headlines around the globe.

The IMO (International Maritime Organization) report on December 4, 2014 about fake certificates warned its member states, where 12 such Bangladeshi certificates were mentioned.

Also on December 30, 2014, head of the Iranian shipping administration mentioned about 10 fake competency certificates with proper seal and signature of Bangladesh maritime authority which are in their possession now.

When asked about 10 fake certificates held by the Iranian authority, Director General Shipping Commodore Zakiur Rahman told the FE today that nine fake certificates have been held by the Iranian Maritime authority and the issue has been conveyed to the Department of Shipping, Bangladesh recently.

“We have requested them to send the certificates so that we can identify the manning agents and shipping line involved in the malpractice. The Iranian maritime authority has assured us of sending the relevant documents any time this month,” DG Shipping said.

Bangladesh and Belize have an agreement under which Belize will recognise Bangladeshi certificates but Belize does not issue any COC. So the question of COR by Bangladesh authority does not arise. Despite this, 35 such certificates of recognition (COR) were issued by DG Shipping of Bangladesh against fake certificates of competency of Belize.

Holders of those COR are not qualified and belonging to marine engineering department.

An inquiry team of the shipping ministry gave clean chit to the person involved in this malpractice.

The officials said that some of the manning agents in collaboration with DG Shipping officials are involved in the issuance of fake certificates which are being issued with appropriate numbers and being endorsed keeping the official record book blank.

They said the government shipping office in Chittagong, another organ of the DG Shipping, is allegedly the key player in the creation of fake CDC and STCW (Standardization of Training, Certificate and Watch-keeping) short course certificates. The fraudulent activities were sighted on bdmariners website.

Mercantile Marine Department (MMD), another vital organ of the DG Shipping, is functioning with only one surveyor. Due to lack of supervision during registration and docking of oceangoing ships, coastal ships, fishing trawlers, fishing and cargo boats safety, revenue earning is being compromised.

Due to acute shortage of surveyors, fake registrations and fitness have been issued in a number of cases. Sources in the MMD said that numerous fishing and cargo boats tonnage is allegedly calculated by an accountant and a peon for revenue matters. Therefore, the government is losing huge sum of money.

Source: Financial Express