Md Joynal Abedin Khan :
The government has asked the law enforcement agencies to collect personal information of pilots, air staff and drivers in public and private airlines to tackle any probable militant attack at home and abroad. The decision has been taken at a high profile meeting held in the secretariat where security experts and high officials of law enforcing agencies were present, Home Ministry sources said.
Following a malfunction incident of a plane which carried Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and inactive of six bolts if a vehicle that carried Salina Hayat Ivy, Mayor of Narayanganj City Corporation (NCCC), they said.
They also mentioned that the emergency meeting was called in the secretariat to check possible militant attacks after the arrest of a first flight official (co-pilot) and three air staff on charge of militant connection.
Civil Aviation Ministry’s Additional Secretary Abul Hasnat Md Ziaul said, “Information of pilots and airlines officials are being collected for security purpose. A database will be created. So, there is nothing to be worried about.”
Meanwhile, law enforcement agencies have started collecting personal information of domestic pilots working in both private and public airlines in the country, Home Ministry sources said.
Besides, personal data of airlines employees and those who have access to airport are also being collected, they said.
The ministry sources said, the initiative was taken following the advice of law enforcement agencies. The Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) arrested Biman’s first officer Amam Sabbir and three others on October 30 on militancy charges. They were allegedly planning acts of sabotage using a plane, the sources said.
Helicopter pilots, co-pilots, cabin crew, engineers, airport officials and employees, who have civil aviation passes to enter the airport premises, have been ordered to fill out forms detailing personal information, according to them.
The information covers family and educational background, information related to property, bank accounts, details of relatives and professions, and political ideology, among other things, they added.
Detectives are verifying the information provided by the individuals.
On September 4, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) raided a house in the city’s Darus Salam where militant Abdullah was staying with his two wives, two children and two associates. Former Biman first officer Sabbir’s father Habibullah Bahar Azad was the building’s owner.
Habibullah and the building’s guard Sirajul Islam were detained on charges of being directly involved in militancy.
Sabbir was a former first officer of Biman’s Boeing 737 plane. He was detained on October 4 for allegedly planning to use the plane in an act of sabotage.
Captain Sajjadul Haque, General Secretary of Bangladesh Airlines Pilots Association, said, “This process of collecting information is nothing new to us. When we joined the service, we provided personal information for police verification.
“At that time, such comprehensive information was not collected. Hence, there is no reason for pilots to object to giving their personal information. Everyone wants to ensure a safe work environment.”
US-Bangla Airlines CEO Imran Asif said, “Security is the top priority. So, collecting information for this purpose is important. However, pilots need to be stress-free in order to work. Creating a situation which could increase their mental stress would not be right.”
Police Headquarters’ Assistant Inspector General (Media and Public Relations) said that the law enforcers had started working to collection information about pilots and drivers after getting an instruction to check upcoming militant attacks by the drivers and pilots.
