The company in a detailed rejoinder described its position regarding the matter. It claimed that actual facts were not reflected in the news items. It alleged that a prescribed authority issued a waiver to a foreign-flag vessel to carry export goods from Mongla violating the Bangladesh Flag Vessel (Protection) Ordinance 1982.

It said the prescribed authority without enquiring into the presence of Bangladesh-flag carriers issued the waiver to foreign-flag carrier MV Khaleda.

The prescribed authority in collusion with the owners of foreign-flag ships are working against the interest of the owners of Bangladesh-flag ships, it pointed out. As a result the owners of Bangladesh-flag carriers are continuously suffering and struggling hard to survive, it added.

The HRC brought the issue regarding the violation of rules to the attention of the director general of shipping and the appropriate authority but they remained silent, the rejoinder claimed.

Our Reply

The angle of The Daily Star story was that the country's export is being hampered due to tussles between foreign and local ship owners. Karachi bound exportable raw jute amounting to 21,000 metric tons had been stockpiled at Mongla seaport for over two months due to the tussle between the groups of ship owners.

The business community demanded bringing of changes to the existing Flag Vessel (Protection) Ordinance 1982, which is one of the major causes of the stockpiling of export goods. The HRC in the rejoinder did not provide any explanation for the stockpiling of export goods at the port. We stand by our report.