Agro entrepreneur Sohel Rana seeks BDT 20cr compensation from Qatar Airways

Dhaka: National Youth Award winning agricultural entrepreneur Sohel Rana has blamed Qatar Airways after not being able to participate in an international horticulture fair near Amsterdam in Netherlands.

Due to insensible attitude of the national flag carrier of Qatar, Sohel Rana couldn’t attend the 7th International Horticultural Exhibition “Expo 2022 Floriade Almere”, he said.

Sohel Rana started mango cultivation in 2015. Now his mangoes are being exported to eight countries in Europe and the Middle East.

He is an agricultural entrepreneur in Godownpara village of Sapahar Upazila in Naogaon. The land of his mango garden is 105 bighas. There are local and foreign varieties of mango trees. Apart from this garden, he has another mango garden of 40 bigha in Rupgram area of Patnitala upazila of the district.

Rana, Managing Director of Borendro Agro Park, was recently invited to the exhibition.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs offered him Government Order (GO) and Letter of Introduction (LOI) to go to Netherlands and represent Bangladesh.

He applied for the visa and got the Schengen visa which he collected himself in due time.

He was supposed to fly to the Netherlands on Qatar Airways on August 5.

He said he reached the airport in time and completed all the necessary process but after completing immigration and boarding the flight officials of Qatar Airways accused him of visa fraud.

“I completed all necessary process including immigration but the airline authorities suddenly told me that I was carrying a tempered visa and they offloaded me,” claimed Sohel Rana.

The agricultural entrepreneur said he immediately informed the matter to the immigration police at Dhaka Airport. They requested Qatar Airways to re-verify and allow him to travel. But they did not listen and sent him back.

Sohel Rana said, “I received the National Youth Award from His Excellency President Abdul Hamid as a successful agricultural entrepreneur. I was invited to take part in the international horticultural exhibition to represent Bangladesh.”

“But the Qatar Airways officials treated me badly in front of hundreds of passengers. By insulting a representative of Bangladesh, Qatar Airways has insulted my country,” he added.

According to reports, Sub Inspector of Immigration Police Delwar Hossain said, “I found the visa and other papers of Sohel Rana fine. Therefore, I completed his immigration and recommended for him.”

Sohel Rana said after discussing with his lawyer, he sent an e-mail to the Qatar Airways describing everything. The airline authorities have accepted it and assured him to investigate the incident.

He said he will wait for their steps and if their measures do not satisfy him, he will send legal notice.

“I have sought compensation of BDT 20 crore from Qatar Airways for defamation and loss of business,” said Sohel Rana.

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