Pilot without passport: Immigration official suspended

An immigration official at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has been temporarily suspended for negligence in duty as a pilot of Biman Bangladesh Airlines crossed the immigration without his passport on June 5.

“Immigration official SI Kamruzzaman has been temporarily suspended for his negligence in duty. He should have checked the passport of Biman pilot Captain Fazal Mahmud before allowing immigration clearance,” Mohammed Ismail Hossain, additional superintendent of Police (Immigration), told The Daily Star today.

“The immigration official had asked the pilot to show his passport before immigration clearance. In response the pilot said his passport was in the luggage. Since he was a senior pilot and operated flights regularly, the official gave him clearance after checking his general declaration,” Ismail Hossain said.

“Usually, immigration procedures of pilots are completed with their general declaration (GD- Crew ID), and the passports are checked for proof as part of the procedure,” he said.

“However, both the persons should be held responsible in this case,” the official also said.

Often, pilots do not have to enter airports while operating flights to different countries. As per the rules of the International Civil Aviation Organisation, pilots travel with their copy of general declaration. However, they also have to keep their passports with them along with the general declaration as passports are necessary for identification.