Cargo complex at airport to boost export from Sylhet
The history of people from Bangladesh's Sylhet division living in European countries, especially the United Kingdom, goes back around 350 years and the diaspora there has kept growing over the centuries.
But despite living abroad for so long, the Sylheti people have never let their cultural heritage fade away. As a result, the demand for food and other products from the region, such as different types of citrus and rattan furniture, is rising in the countries they reside in.
These goods are mostly exported through the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka as the required facilities at the Osmani International Airport in Sylhet were not put in place.
But as an export cargo complex has finally been set up at the airport, the days of wait, extra efforts and expenses, and the drop in the quality of goods are over.
The facility was constructed between February 2020 and August 2021 by the airport authority in association with Biman Bangladesh Airlines at a cost of around Tk 30 crore.
Later, Tk 14 crore was spent on installing explosive detection scanners in the facility, which was validated by the European Union in April this year.
Currently, no cargo flights are operated from Sylhet although each Biman flight is capable of carrying 12 tonnes to 18 tonnes of goods, according to Md Hafiz Ahmed, director of the Osmani International Airport.
Even though the export cargo complex is all set to facilitate shipments, one hurdle remains in sending perishable items abroad: agricultural produce needs to be packed in a warehouse of the Department of Agricultural Extension (DAE) and must be certified after testing at a laboratory operated by the same authority.
However, such a facility is only available at Shyampur in Dhaka. As such, Sylhet-based businesses have long been urging the authorities to establish the facility in the region.
Md Hizkil Gulzar, an exporter and a director of the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SCCI), said local businesses suffer a lot in exporting goods via Dhaka due to a lack of warehouses and a certification lab nearby.
"If such facilities were in Sylhet, the export would receive a boost since many new traders would open businesses."
The SCCI has sent several letters to the agriculture, commerce and foreign ministries to press home its demand since January last year. It also organised a seminar in this regard on February 15, where Agriculture Minister Mohammad Abdur Razzaque was present.
At the event, the minister assured the association of taking the necessary steps to establish such facilities in the northeastern divisional city.
On September 6, the SCCI handed over a letter to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina mentioning 17 demands, including that for a warehouse and a certification laboratory.
Md Mustafizur Rahman, president of the Jalalabad Vegetable and Frozen Fish Export Group, said the demand for citron and other citrus fruits, naga chilli, sour fruits, beans and many vegetables is rising abroad but exporters in Sylhet do not want to go to Dhaka to process shipments.
Currently, there are 15 exporters in Sylhet.
"Once the warehouse and the certification laboratory are established, more people will be interested in exporting," he added.
At present, the DAE has no plan to establish a warehouse and certification lab in the city.
"But we realise the need for such facilities at the Sylhet airport as it will help export fresh perishable produce from the region," said Sayed Rafiqul Amin, director of the DAE's plant quarantine wing.
Amin went on to say that as the need for such facilities is huge, the DAE could extend various support, including human resources, for private initiatives to establish the required facilities.
Tahmin Ahmed, president of the SCCI, said the chamber has been urging the authorities to set up the warehouse and certification facilities for years but to no avail.
"We have recently informed the prime minister of our demands and we are hopeful that the premier will take necessary initiatives soon."
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