Outound International Passengers: Confusion over visit visa

Many outgoing passengers especially those wishing to visit the UAE are facing difficulty after the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh issued a directive for such passengers to obtain BMET card or clearance.

Besides, related organisations, Probashi Kalyan Desk at the airport and BMET district offices have been facing unexpected complexities to deal with them.

A government directive has been issued banning international flights for a week from April 14. As a result, some 30 Bangladeshi workers faced uncertainty regarding return to their workplaces. So, a decision to arrange special flights was taken on April 15 at an inter-ministerial meeting.

Clause B of a CAAB notice, issued on April 17, said passengers traveling abroad on new visit visa have to obtain BMET card issued by expatriates' welfare and overseas employment ministry.

If a passenger does not obtain BMET card then it has to be ensured that they are going abroad for "work". In this regard, relevant passenger, immigration, airliners and Probashi Kalyan Desk at airport have been directed to assist.

And this has created a mishap. Because, Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET) has no provision to issue clearance or NOC to those wishing to travel abroad on visit (travel) visa.

The bureau only issues clearance to new employment visa holders and no objection certificate to members of expatriates obtaining family visa.

Also, those who are going abroad on travel visa for different purposes have no chance to prove their "work".

Regarding this, an awkward situation involving visit visa-holding passengers of special flight was seen since Sunday morning at Dhaka airport. It was known from Probashi Kalyan Desk sources, problem started involving UAE-bound transit passengers of Oman Air flying to Muscat in the morning.

Staffers of the airliner refused to allow them to board without BMET card. Many were sent back from immigration. They were asked to take help from Probashi Kalyan Desk. The Desk could not support them either since it had no such jurisdiction.

BMET Assistant Director Fakhrul Islam, who is in charge of Probashi Kalyan Desk at HSIA, said as they do not have provision to give clearance to passengers obtaining visit visa, it is also not possible for them to verify or ensure their works.

Later, verbal clearance was given after the matter was brought to consideration of CAAB high officials. As of afternoon, obligation was eased regarding BMET card or clearance for visit visa holders travelling on Biman, Fly Dubai, Etihad, and US Bangla flying to the UAE.

However, so far no official directive has been issued from CAAB, he said.

UAE embassy in Bangladesh also advised passengers who wish to travel on visit (travel) visa to get registered with BMET. Such advice came in light of the CAAB directive.

BMET card or clearance has been issued for outbound workers from BMET headquarters and five of its district offices. After the CAAB directive, many have been trying to communicate at these offices.

Deputy Director Mohammad Zahirul Alam Majumdar of BMET Chattogram office said, "Apart from different travel and recruiting agencies, many UAE-bound passengers enquired about the matter through phone."

"We have informed them that we haven't received any directive from the ministry or bureau. Also, from my experience, I can say we have no option to issue such clearance for passengers travelling on visit visa," he added.