WITH the concern about the security requirements in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the UK government has banned air cargoes originating directly from Dhaka until further notice. The UK is a very big market of the EU for Bangladeshi apparel sectors as it is the second biggest garment export destination for Bangladesh after Germany. Vegetables are also airlifted regularly from Dhaka for consumption of the British citizens of Bangladesh origin. Report shows that an average of 25 tonnes of cargo-mostly apparels, vegetables and agricultural products-is flown to the UK in each flight.
Only the Biman Bangladesh Airlines carries cargo directly to the UK in its four weekly passenger flights but it would not be able now to do so due to the ban. Together with garments, vegetables and agricultural products, Biman Bangladesh Airlines will incur huge losses for halting its scheduled flights which are also used as cargo carriers.
The embargo over the air cargo by UK will not be lifted easily as Biman for the time being is unable to employ trained personnel at the cargo complex to handle the shipment. Shortage of manpower and space is forcing users to keep their cargo waiting for shipment over days. It also entails security risks. To close this loophole of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, government especially Civil Aviation Department needs to take immediate measures to train up employees and arrange space for cargo shipment. Such embargo over air cargo by external countries is not new; Australia on December 19 last year banned air cargo from Bangladesh similarly citing security concerns. So, government must do anything to retain security for the sake of country’s image and especially for the garment sector, the most currency-earning sectors of the country. Apparel exporters are very much concerned over the ban and they fear it might have adverse effect on Bangladesh’s garment exports worth $3 billion to the UK annually. It is an urgent matter and the government should take immediate initiative to lift the ban.
Bangladesh Biman needs good management. Setting up of police camp will not improve the situation. Showing of police power is not security system.
