Bangladeshi found in container at Indian port

A middle-aged man, reportedly from Bangladesh, was found locked in a container that reached the facilities of Visakha Container Terminal Private Limited (VCTPL) in Visakhapatnam Port of India yesterday.

It was an empty container from Bangladesh, which was booked by Visakhapatnam-based Samsara Shipping Company, the local agents for Geneva-based Mediterranean Shipping Company, reports Indian daily The Hindu.

When the VCTPL officials opened the locked container as per the procedures at the only port of Andhra Pradesh, they found the man in a thin and badly dehydrated condition, Indian police said.

One Town Police Station SHO B Venkat Rao said the man appeared to be a labourer who apparently dozed off inside the container when it was loaded.

“It did not seem to be a case of organised trafficking,” he said.

He said, “The man was found in semi-conscious state and was sent to a hospital after giving first-aid.”

Sources told the Indian daily that the container sailed for about 12 days to reach VCTPL from Bangladesh and he did not have any food to eat or water to drink.

“It is a miracle that he survived, and we’ll question him after he recovers. We have taken him into our custody,” said the inspector.