Sniffer dogs join cargo screening

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh yesterday for the first time started using bomb detection dogs in cargo screening at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

It took the step after the European Union, according to official sources, put Bangladesh on the list of high-risk countries in terms of operating cargo services to the EU countries.

Business leaders said the CAAB has been late to introduce the measure as a proper bomb detection system was already a major requirement of different European countries.

During a visit to the CAAB headquarters on Monday, EU Ambassador in Dhaka Pierre Mayaudon informed CAAB chief Air Vice-Marshal Ehsanul Gani Chowdhury about the decision to include Bangladesh in the list, sources at the CAAB and the civil aviation ministry said.

Following the EU decision, which came into effect from June 1, businesses now require cargo re-screening at a third airport en route to an EU country, said AHM Ziaul Haque, additional secretary of the ministry.

To get its name dropped from the list, the EU envoy had said, Bangladesh first has to ensure screening through bomb detection dogs or equipment before loading goods.

Group Captain Kazi Iqbal Karim, director of Shahjalal International Airport, yesterday told The Daily Star that the airport authorities have started screening goods using the explosive detection dog unit with the assistance of Rapid Action Battalion and Border Guard Bangladesh.

“The first cargo consignment that went through the screening weighed 30kg and was loaded onto an Etihad flight,” he added.

Sources at the CAAB or the ministry could not confirm whether the EU will lift the cargo restriction following introduction of the sniffer dogs.

On Monday, Ambassador Mayaudon also told the CAAB chairman that the EU will send its aviation security team for inspection if Dhaka introduces necessary security equipment at the airport and informs them about it.

Before informing the EU, Bangladesh will have to get clearance certificate from the International Civil Aviation Organisation on successful setting up of explosive detection system. 

Talking to this newspaper, SM Jahangir Hossain, president of Bangladesh Fruits Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters Association, yesterday said why did CAAB take so much time to introduce the sniffer dog unit?

Last year, he mentioned, Australia, the UK and Germany termed Bangladesh a high-risk country and imposed a ban on direct cargo flights citing poor security at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

“Had CAAB taken necessary measures to meet their [the countries'] requirements, we might not have got into the current trouble,” he added.

Additional Secretary Ziaul Haque said that as per the UK's requirements, the government purchased various security equipment including a dual view scanner and a vehicle tracker.

An explosive detection device, a crucial piece of equipment, will reach the country from the US by July, he mentioned. 

Asked what move the government has taken to resolve the present crisis, a senior official at the foreign ministry said the civil aviation ministry and the CAAB are handling the issue.

The foreign ministry has not yet been tasked with looking into the matter, he added.

'AIR ONLY'

“We are talking of air only ... not sea routes,” Ambassador Mayaudon said when asked whether the restriction is only applicable to airways or both air and sea routes. 

Responding to questions about the state of the EU restrictions, the EU ambassador told The Daily Star yesterday that he had a constructive discussion with the CAAB chairman and his team on Monday.

“A key point is that the whole scheme is the responsibility of the carriers [airline companies, Biman being one of them], not of the official services,” he said, adding, “Screening for explosive can be done at the point of departure [Dhaka] or at any point of transit [Dubai, Doha, Istanbul, etc].

“Carriers have to be compliant with EU regulations in order to be allowed to take cargo into the EU.”

A source at the Delegation of the European Union to Bangladesh, said, "Effective from 1 June, the EU will request carriers transporting mails and cargo from Bangladesh into EU to enforce additional screening measures on top of the already applied EU ACC3 control regime.

“This additional screening relates to explosive detection. The screening can be performed either at the point of origin [Bangladesh] or at transit prior to the entry into the EU. The implementation will be the responsibility of the carriers/airlines."

Meanwhile, Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon yesterday said the EU did not impose any ban on air cargo from Bangladesh; they suggested upgrading the existing airport security with explosive detection system.