The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh will scrap around 10,000 entry passes to Dhaka airport given to top officials of different ministries, departments and other dignitaries, alleging that many of the passes were misused
The CAAB also pointed out that some passes were used even for the purpose of smuggling.
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Besides, those eligible for the entry passes will have to go through training and examination.
Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, CAAB chairman, said changes were made in its policy regarding the issuance of passes to enter the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to ensure the security of the country's main gateway by air.
"We are now going to be tough while issuing entry passes to VIPs. The present trend is that 10 to 12 people enter the airport with a minister. Sorry to say, but from now on only the minister will be able to enter using a pass," the CAAB boss told The Daily Star at his office in the capital's Kurmitola.
Besides, the respective ministers will have to inform the authorities concerned before entering the airport with passes.
"We are going to start these practices this month. It will take some time to implement as giving up [bad] practices may take time," Mafidur added.
Sources at the CAAB said many MPs had raised their voices against the new rules.
Despite that, the CAAB authorities have informed all MPs that they will only get the privilege as lawmakers in the airport as per the rules.
"We will not provide anything more than what is stipulated. We have asked them not to expect anything else," Mafidur said.
In case of government officials, only secretaries will get entry passes from now.
About the scrapping of 10,000 passes, the CAAB chief said, "Earlier, we had given entry passes to managing directors and CEOs of different companies, apart from ministers and government high officials.
"In many cases, we have noticed that passes were misused. That's why we have formulated the new policy on the usage and issuance of entry passes to stop various kinds of irregularities."
He also said different instances of smuggling, including that of gold, had earlier taken place in the airport with the use of passes.
"We have had to take various measures, including stopping the misuse of entry passes, to prevent smuggling."
Mafidur further said that instead of permanent passs, MDs and CEOs of different business organisations will now get temporary ones.
About the many office rooms and drawing rooms of different organisations at the airport, he said, "This is intolerable. You will not see such practices in any airport in the world. Offices were set up at will.
"We will close down all these. Only relevant departments and their work stations will remain."
For the media, the CAAB chairman said, "We will establish a one-stop service centre from where journalists will be able to get their required information about the airport operations."
