Govt to tighten airport security

The government will purchase security equipment to ensure no explosives, firearms, and dangerous devices, goods, or objects slip through the three international airports.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council, led by the prime minister, yesterday approved a Tk 89.55 crore project for buying the equipment.

The project piloted by the civil aviation ministry would be implemented this year.

Under the project, two sets of explosive detection system, six sets of liquid explosive detection system, eight sets of dual view x-ray scanning machines, 14 sets of dual view x-ray scanning machine for cabin baggage, nine sets of under vehicles scanning machine, 14 sets of explosive trace detectors, five barrier gates, and four sets of flap barriers would be bought.

The security apparatus will be set up at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Sylhet MAG Osmani Airport, and Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong as soon as possible to upgrade the security to international standards, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) officials said.

Air-Vice Marshal M Sanaul Haque, chairman of Caab, recently said, “We have shortage of equipment which we pointed out to our ministry.”

The government undertook the project after aviation security teams from the US and the UK inspected the airports on different occasions and expressed serious concern over the security lapses and risks.

In November, December, and in February, UK aviation security department's representatives visited Dhaka and recommended making a plan for sustainable security at the airport with specified time for execution.

Following their recommendation, a meeting at the Prime Minister's Office on January 5 decided to undertake the project, Caab officials said.

The representatives also threatened to stop direct flights to London from Dhaka if foolproof security was not ensured. Australia also stopped allowing any cargo from Bangladesh for about three months.

Following the crash of a Russian jet over Egypt's Sinai desert in October, the UK department of transportation made a list of 38 airports of 20 countries, including Shahjalal International Airport, that have security lapses. The department had been pushing for upgraded security arrangements.

Air-Vice Marshal M Sanaul Haque said the Caab, working with the UK team, has been training the manpower here and it would continue for two to three more months. When the training is done and the equipment are bought, the security system would become sustainable, he added.

“The UK is 100 percent satisfied the way we have been working for the security. But, they are still in doubt whether we would be able to make this work in a sustainable manner,” he added. 

To upgrade the security, the Caab has already formed a 250-member aviation security force comprising people from the Air Force, Armed Police Battalion, and Ansar to ensure the security at Shahjalal International Airport.

Around 150 members have already joined the force after training, Caab officials added.