The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation Ministry has recommended relaxed security checks for MPs and other VIPs in the airports. The JS body also recommended separate queues for their security checks at a meeting in the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban on Sunday. An MP in the meeting said strict checking at all airports must be ensured but the VIPs should not need to take off their shoes, belts, and coats during security checks. However, Civil Aviation Secretary Mohibul Haque, who was present at the meeting, told the Committee that his Ministry has no authority to relax the security checks for VIPs at the airports.
We don’t understand why MPs and VIPs would be kept out of regular security check. Why they would get such a facility which could be misused by the criminals? Recently, the Civil Aviation ministry directed the Airport Authorities to ensure foolproof security following widespread criticism after a young man passed the security barrier with a toy pistol in a bid to hijack the Chattogram-bound flight BG 147 on February 24. Apart from it, four passengers were detained for carrying firearms and bullets without declaration in Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the last two months. Renowned actor Elias Kanchon had entered the HSIA with his licensed gun apparently dodging the security system.
Usually the heads of states and governments do not have to go through security checks in the airports. But other officials, whoever he may be, must be checked by security officials. It’s the system across the world to keep the security arrangement up-to-the-mark. Earlier, we saw that some secretary level officers also showed annoyance for facing regular security checking. Not only that, some Upazila Chairman level public representatives and even some lower-level leaders of ruling party’s Ward units had tried to avoid security checking showing arrogance to the airport officials.
There is a widespread allegation that, security arrangement in country’s airports, particularly HSIA, is not satisfactory at all, for which the gold and Yaba smugglers often take the privilege. On the other hand, several countries have cut-off air links with us showing security grounds. We must say, country’s airports should be under well security arrangement by any means.
