India exempts Bangladesh seafarers from police escort

India exempts Bangladesh seafarers from police escort

DHAKA, July 2, 2017 (BSS)-Bangladesh seafarers will now be able to join vessels or return to Bangladesh after signing off from ships in Indian seaports as India has exempted Bangladesh seafarers, for the first time, from immigration police escort there.

The Ministry of Home Affairs of India had issued instructions to the authorities concerned in this regard, said a media release of Bangladesh foreign ministry here today.

This exemption is expected to encourage foreign ship-owners to recruit more Bangladeshi seafarers, it added.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Bangladesh took up the matter with the India side several times including during the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s visit to New Delhi in April this year.

In many of India ports, except some ports in the West Bengal, Bangladesh seafarers, despite carrying continuous discharge certificate (CDC) and machine-readable identity document, were not allowed to join vessels or return to Bangladesh after signing off the ships without immigration police escort to the nearest sea-ports.

Source: BSS