With an aim to stop narcotics smuggling, Department of Narcotics Control (DNC) wants to have round-the-clock presence of their dog squad at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

As the airport has been used largely by transnational syndicates and there have been major seizure of narcotics shipments in recent times, an expert narcotics team with dog squad would be helpful to detect the consignments, according to DNC officials.

Kusum Dewan, director (operations and intelligence) of DNC told The Daily Star that they have already proposed to the ministry for approval of dog squad teams in Dhaka airport.

"This would be an 18-member unit, and six DNC officials with sniffing dogs will be on duty at the airport on eight-hour shifts. These squad would work closely with Aviation Security, which is now mainly providing security inside the airport," he explained.

"After the deployment of a dog squad at the airport, we want deployment at all other ports by phases," he said, adding if an expert team like dog squad can be present during the security check then it can be easily detected.

Hamidur Rahman Khan, joint secretary (narcotics wing) of the home ministry, told The Daily Star that a decision has been taken to form a dog squad for DNC.

"We have now asked DNC to provide us a detailed report about their capacity and efficiency of dealing with a dog squad. We would take further decision upon receiving their report," he added.

Transnational syndicates are using Bangladesh as a route to smuggle banned amphetamine powder to other countries after smuggling it into the country from neighbouring India, revealed DNC recently.

They are investigating a case of 12.32kg amphetamine powder seizure from the cargo village area in last September.

DNC has so far arrested around 13 people in this connection.

Airport authorities also seized 38,900 yaba tablets at the export cargo village of the airport in mid-October, foiling an attempt to smuggle those to Saudi Arabia on a flight.

Group Captain AHM Touhid-ul Ahsan, director at Dhaka airport, told The Daily Star that there currently have six dual-view scanners and four EBS machines.

Before any shipment reached cargo shipments, there needs to be a customs verification, and if any other agency wants then they can work jointly with customs, he explained.

Besides, two dog squads -- one from Dhaka Metropolitan Police and one from Border Guard Bangladesh -- used to visit the airport regularly, he said. "We have also asked them to come to the airport whenever we feel any necessity for it," he added.

Asked about DNC proposal, group captain Touhid categorically said it is a government decision but they are doing all necessary security check up as per regulation and also seized if any illegal consignment found.

Regarding the necessity of dog squad, Mosaddeque Hossain Reza, additional director (intelligence) of DNC, told this newspaper that Bangladesh is not narcotic producing country, but located in centre of Golden Triangle (Myanmar, Thailand and Laos) and Golden Crescent (Afghanistan and Pakistan) which produces huge illicit opium.

Transnational rackets are taking the opportunities to use Bangladeshi airport as a route, he said.

Shamsul Haque Tuku, chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the home ministry, said that they were aware of the DNC proposal and already taken necessary steps.

Ends.