Immigration SI suspended over pilot's visit to Qatar without passport

A sub-inspector of immigration police Kamruzzaman is temporarily suspended after Biman Bangladesh's pilot Fazal Mahmud Chowdhury reached Qatar without his passport.

Additional superintendent of immigration police's special branch, Ismail Hossain, said SI Kamruzzaman has been suspended as he did not carry out his duties properly.

According to the immigration police, pilot Fazal Mahmud was asked about his passport while he was going on a flight on 5 June. Fazal said his passport was in his bag. As pilots and crews regularly travel on flights, Fazal was allowed to cross immigration with crew ID. However, he should have showed his passport. SI Kamruzzaman should have allowed him crossing the immigration after seeing the passport.

On 5 June, captain Fazal Mahmud Chowdhury took off a flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and reached Qatar. After landing at Dohar Hamad International Airport, he did not find his passport. He claimed that he mistakenly kept his passport in another bag. After sending passport from Bangladesh, his immigration completed.

Meanwhile, different media outlets reported that Fazal Mahmud was arrested by Qatar immigration authorities. Biman authorities, however, explained that he was not arrested.

The cabinet division has formed an investigation committee as Fazal Mahmud was reportedly detained by Qatar immigration as he was no passport. Besides, the home ministry formed another body to investigate the matter.