DoS issues CDCs for untrained seafarers violating govt rules

Staff Reporter :
Allegation of issuing ‘Continuous Discharge Certificate (CDC)’, well-known as Panama CDC, for the untrained persons has been arisen against the Department of Shipping (DoS) under the Ministry of Shipping. Taking the CDCs by paying huge amount of money through under table dealings to the DoS officials concern, a section of people are trying to work as seafarers in the ocean going marine ships, according to the allegation.

According to the allegation, bypassing the provision of the government gazette issued regarding issuance of the CDCs, DoS Director General Md Nizamul Haque and Chief Nautical Surveyor Capt Md. Giasuddin Ahmed have been clearing such proposals and issuing the CDCs.

As around 95 per cent of Bangladeshi seafarers, who have taken training from country’s marine academies including International Maritime Training Institute and Global Maritime Training Institute, have been serving in various foreign ships with goodwill.

Once those untrained seafarers join the service in foreign ships, it would spoil goodwill and the market of Bangladesh’s seafarers in the international markets, the stakeholders in this sector claimed.
They have also demanded suspending issuance of such CDCs for the untrained and inexperienced persons to protect the image of the country.
According to the allegation, the DoS officials have been taking Tk4 lakh from each of the untrained CDC seekers for issuing a certificate, so that they can join the ships showing it.
A pool of around 400 persons, who don’t have any academic certificate of training of the trade, has been prepared by the DoS. Of those, 88 persons have already been given CDC while the process of giving others is on, sources said.

When contacted at his office on last Wednesday, rejecting the allegation of taking money for giving CDC, DoS Director General Md Nizamul Haque told this correspondent that some people who are already working or having experience of working in ships are being given CDCs, so that they can earn foreign currencies. Same time, some people of others professionals including physicians are also being given CDC, so that they join the lucrative jobs of ships, he added.
“We have seen that some people who are already working in ships are forced to leave their jobs due to CDCs. We have prepared a guideline to give them CDCs, so that they can continue the jobs. An expert committee led by DoS’s Chief Nautical Surveyor Capt Md. Giasuddin Ahmed was formed to examine their expertise for getting the certificate. We will give CDCs to those who have assurance of having a job in ships,” he added.

Regarding the provision of giving CDCs to only experience of training from the marine academies or maritime training institutes, the DoS DG said that this is not mandatory. “If the authority can be assured of their working experience, CDCs can be given.”
A former Chief Engineer of the DoS on condition of anonymity told this correspondent that it is impossible to issue CDC without training and it is would be violation of the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) guidelines.

However, only the persons who have admitted and taken training from any public or private marine academies or maritime training institutes can only be given CDCs, in accordance with the provision of “Trainee Seafarers Admission in the Public and Private Maritime Training Institutes Guideline, 2022.”
While talking to this correspondent at his office, Chief Nautical Surveyor Capt Md. Giasuddin Ahmed on Wednesday said that they have issued 87 CDCs for the seafarers who have working experience in foreign ships following the instruction of the Shipping Ministry. They haven’t done anything violating any rules or by taking money from them, he said.

“A section of people working in the DoS are making such complaints to demean in the community and damaging his career. The ministry officials are well informed about it,” he added.