Staff Reporter :
The authorities of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) seized 38 ‘unmanned aircraft systems or drones’ in last three months.
Of them, one drone was seized on Thursday afternoon and nine others on November 3, said customs officials at the airport.
Assistant Commissioner Md Shahiduzzaman Sarkar of Dhaka Customs House said that no one had contacted to take back the seized drones.
However, the last 10 drones that were confiscated recently were manufactured in China. The drones that were seized on November 3 were imported as toys by Days International. Of the nine drones, seven were imported from China’s DJI Biwang Technology
Company Limited by Golam Mashqur Rahman in a Singapore Airlines flight, airport sources said.
Earlier in September, customs intelligence officials confiscated a total of five drones. These were being brought to Bangladesh in hiding under fabrics of readymade garments. Customs officials seized the drones when they were being released from the courier gate of the airport.
However, the customs officials could not apprise about the importer of the consignment.
Several officials said that these machines were small remote controlled drones which can fly over 40-storey building of 400 feet height without making any sound.
Customs and intelligence sources said that both the agencies had a meeting over the seizure of these drones on Wednesday. The meeting discussed the causes of importing these drones and their possible uses.
A customs official requesting anonymity said quite possibly some drones might have managed to go through airport security, as so many of them have been seized in the recent past suddenly.
It has been learnt that the contractor company which is now working to build the Padma Bridge uses drones while an initiative has been taken to use drones for collecting information in the agriculture sector. Besides these two sectors, there is no information of drone uses in Bangladesh legally.
However, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam, in a press briefing after detaining two members of banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team on December, 17, 2014, said he feared that drones could be used for subversive activities.
He told newsmen that arrested Tanzil Hossain and Golam Mawla were studying on drone manufacturing so that they could carry bombs to a height of 20-30 story building.
A remote-controlled aircraft or drone, made by students of Shahjalal University using local equipment, made its inaugural flight on January 29, 2014.
Dhaka customs house on Thursday sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Thursday asking for guidelines regarding import of drones as there is no such thing in Bangladesh. Dhaka Customs House Commissioner Lutfur Rahman said that country’s security is more important than collecting duty.
The authorities of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) seized 38 ‘unmanned aircraft systems or drones’ in last three months.
Of them, one drone was seized on Thursday afternoon and nine others on November 3, said customs officials at the airport.
Assistant Commissioner Md Shahiduzzaman Sarkar of Dhaka Customs House said that no one had contacted to take back the seized drones.
However, the last 10 drones that were confiscated recently were manufactured in China. The drones that were seized on November 3 were imported as toys by Days International. Of the nine drones, seven were imported from China’s DJI Biwang Technology
Company Limited by Golam Mashqur Rahman in a Singapore Airlines flight, airport sources said.
Earlier in September, customs intelligence officials confiscated a total of five drones. These were being brought to Bangladesh in hiding under fabrics of readymade garments. Customs officials seized the drones when they were being released from the courier gate of the airport.
However, the customs officials could not apprise about the importer of the consignment.
Several officials said that these machines were small remote controlled drones which can fly over 40-storey building of 400 feet height without making any sound.
Customs and intelligence sources said that both the agencies had a meeting over the seizure of these drones on Wednesday. The meeting discussed the causes of importing these drones and their possible uses.
A customs official requesting anonymity said quite possibly some drones might have managed to go through airport security, as so many of them have been seized in the recent past suddenly.
It has been learnt that the contractor company which is now working to build the Padma Bridge uses drones while an initiative has been taken to use drones for collecting information in the agriculture sector. Besides these two sectors, there is no information of drone uses in Bangladesh legally.
However, Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner Monirul Islam, in a press briefing after detaining two members of banned militant outfit Ansarullah Bangla Team on December, 17, 2014, said he feared that drones could be used for subversive activities.
He told newsmen that arrested Tanzil Hossain and Golam Mawla were studying on drone manufacturing so that they could carry bombs to a height of 20-30 story building.
A remote-controlled aircraft or drone, made by students of Shahjalal University using local equipment, made its inaugural flight on January 29, 2014.
Dhaka customs house on Thursday sent a letter to the National Board of Revenue (NBR) on Thursday asking for guidelines regarding import of drones as there is no such thing in Bangladesh. Dhaka Customs House Commissioner Lutfur Rahman said that country’s security is more important than collecting duty.
