PM warns of breaking airport security rules

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Saturday urged air passengers including very important persons (VIPs) to abide by existing security rules and regulations of the airports of the country, issuing a strong warning that errant passengers will be barred from boarding aircraft in future for violating the laws.

“We’ve given special attention to the security of our airports … all passengers will have to accept the existing international security rules and regulations (of the airports),” she said.

She went on saying: “The ministers, parliament members, chiefs of the armed forces and other senior officials are present here. We’ve to ensure security of the airports in the way it is maintained in airports abroad.”

The prime minister said all will have to abide by the security rules and regulations of the airports and none can violate it. “If anyone try to break the laws, he or she will be prevented from boarding the plane in future … I’ll do it, and all will have to keep this in mind,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said this while inaugurating the much-awaited construction work of Taka 21,300 crore ‘Third Terminal’ of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital this morning.

From the same function, she also opened Bangladesh Biman’s two new Dreamliner aircraft Boeing 787-9 named ‘Sonar Tori’ and ‘Achin Pakhi’ as well as a new mobile app of the national flag carrier.

Sheikh Hasina said: “I’m working throughout the day for the country, and try to enquire about what happens where. So, news comes to me immediately if any irregularity or deviation takes place anywhere … everybody will have to bear it in mind.”

The prime minister also asked the authorities concerned to look after the facilities of the air passengers and stay alert so that they are not harassed in anyway.

“Our reserve is increasing day by day due to Bangladeshi workers who are working abroad. But when they return home, they become victims of harassment (in airports) in various ways,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina added: “Though the extent of harassment has reduced to a great extent. I’ll say that their facilities will have to be looked after, and special attention will have to be given so they don’t become victims of harassment in the airports.”

The prime minister instructed the Biman authorities to work more sincerely to increase the reputation of the national flag carrier internationally.

“In the past there was a problem that tickets were not available but the aircraft is empty. Such many things would have happened,” she said.

Referring to smuggling of gold through Biman aircraft, Sheikh Hasina mentioned that she once upon a time jokingly said: Biman becomes “swarnaprosobini” as gold bars are recovered from it.

“It must be stopped and efforts will have to be made so that Biman’s reputation is enhanced further,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina said the government has been working to raise passenger services of Biman in other countries. “We can make ‘code sharing’ with other airlines and through it, we can send passengers to many stations abroad … we’ll do it in future,”

The prime minister also urged all concerned including passengers to give special attention to proper maintenance of aircraft of Biman.

“Not only purchasing the aircraft, all will have to remain aware so that the planes run properly … the passengers will also have to be caring as the aircraft are ours and they are bought by our own money,” she said.

Pointing out her government’s plan to procure cargo planes for Biman, Sheikh Hasina said the organisation will not be profitable without it.

The prime minister said her government is taking steps to further develop internal communication system. “When our government first assumed office in 1996, we created scope for the private airlines to operate their planes and now many private airlines are involved in the sector,” she said.

“We’ve created such a scope. But alongside it, we want Biman to have its own arrangements. To ensure passenger service, it’s not proper to leave it completely to the private sector,” she said.

Keeping this in mind, she said, three Dash aircrafts are coming from Canada which will be operated on domestic routes.

Sheikh Hasina said Biman Bangladesh Airlines which was on the verge of extinction was reorganized freshly. “Today I inaugurated two Boeing 787 Dreamliners of the national flag carrier through which 12 new aircraft were added to its fleet,” she said.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali presided over the ceremony while Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Chairman RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury and Senior Secretary of Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Md Mohibul Haque spoke._BSS.

 

Dhaka/Nasim