Major general (retired) M.A. Matin adviser of former caretaker government added another scandal to his already existing scandal of hiring a contractor for Chittagong port container handling. The very pilots in whose hands ship movement in port’s channels is captive for long time, he increased their tenure with his sole decision.

In an order on 9th November 2008 signed by senior assistant secretary of water transportation ministry Sharif Md. Masud it was mentioned, upgrading the maximum tenure from 57 to 60 years of age of all the employed pilots at the port has been given government approval. This order is given on the approval of water transportation adviser.

Lots of discussions and criticisms are taking place among involved factions regarding such increase of tenure of a certain group and legality of the authority. They said, the millionaire pilots of the port have made a fund of few crores in order to get this order approved. They managed the high officials of port to send a proposal and were successful to get such instruction approved.

Several port high officials confessed, although an adviser of unelected government has no authority to give such order without raising the bill through minister cabinet in parliament and getting it passed, he still did it as he was influenced by endeavors. Whereas the issue of increasing the tenure of employees of government- semi government and independent organizations is still being discussed on government level, different questions have also been raised on how the tenure of few pilots from one department of port got increased. Due to this pilots different sort of accidents including ship sinking take place often at port channel. And these pilots had been accused in several reports of investigative committees. But in port’s history no divisional actions were taken against these pilots. Even in this case their black money worked. This time the issue of rewarding these pilots instead has come up in discussions.

When Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury Liton, president of parliamentary permanent committee involved with water transportation ministry, was asked about the matter he expressed his lack of knowledge to Jugantor and said, this is the first time I heard about it. Whether an adviser can increase anybody’s tenure has to be investigated. If the matter comes to our attention, this file will also be inquired during investigation. Presently parliamentary sub-committee is investigating the scandal of hiring a contractor for Chittagong port container handling. He informed that next week a meeting will be held on this matter with committee report.

There are 10 pilots in Chittagong port. From exterior anchorage through Karnafuli channel they bring the ship for berthing to port jetty, and again take it from port to exterior anchorage. After bringing ship with goods to the exterior anchorage, shipping agent needs to bribe to take a serial for berthing the ship. Sometimes in exchange of millions of taka a ship that came later gets an early berthing serial. Usually ships with drafts more than 9.20 meters are not allowed to enter the port channel. But frequently pilots are entering overdraft ships with lots of risk. In this case they take bribes according to inches. For every extra inch of a draft TK 5000-10,000 bribe has to be given to pilots. So with that estimation pilots to bring in a ship pilots are taking bribes on range of Tk 4-/50 thousand. Even if a ship has a normal draft bribe of Tk 5 to 10 thousand has to be given to a pilot. Or else they do no allow ships to enter by giving excuses like weather is not good, the condition is not favorable at the moment etc.

In order to avoid demurrage due to extra time shipping agents succumb to pilots’ demands. Agents inform, daily cost of running a ship is $5,000 to 10,000. So in that case if port can be left a day earlier then that cost can be saved. Pilots take advantage of this opportunity. They know that if their demands are not met then ship as in shipping agents will face even more loss. Hence whatever pilots say shipping agents agree to that without any argument. Most of the employed pilots in the port are millionaires. Among 10 pilots only two are master mariners. Others do not have academic qualifications-skills. Many of them worked as shipmates or steersman and then became pilots, whose designations have been fixed as assistant harbor master.