Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday wrote back to her British counterpart David Cameron and requested a review of the ban on direct air cargo from Dhaka to London.
In reply to Cameron’s March 8 letter to her, Hasina also wished to work together with the British government on meeting all the global security requirements of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
In his letter, the UK PM called for a visible improvement of airport security by March 31 to avoid further measures like banning of direct passenger Biman flights from Dhaka to London.
Contacted over the phone, a diplomat at the Bangladesh High Commission in London around 9:00pm (Bangladesh time) confirmed that Hasina’s letter has reached Cameron.
Earlier, diplomatic sources in Dhaka and London said Bangladesh government had instructed its UK Mission to ensure that the letter reaches the British Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street, in the quickest possible time.
Sources at the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) and foreign ministry said Hasina signed the letter to Cameron yesterday morning and sent it to the UK prime minister immediately through the Bangladesh High Commission in London.
They added the prime minister in her letter expressed hope that the UK government will consider the request and look into the matter with utmost sincerity.
“The reply of our prime minister was very simple and short in compare to the size of the UK Prime Minister’s letter,” said a source.
Hasina has mentioned that the Bangladeshi authorities are strictly addressing the British observations regarding the entire aspect of airport security.
SECRETARY REMOVED
Meanwhile, the government yesterday removed Khorshed Alam Chowdhury from the post of civil aviation and tourism secretary.
SM Golam Faruk, a member of Planning Commission, has replaced Khorshed, according to a circular of the public administration circular.
Earlier on Sunday, Air Vice-Marshal Ehsanul Gani Chowdhury was made the new chairman of chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab). He has replaced Air-Vice Marshal M Sanaul Huq.
Officials at the ministry said Khorshed and Sanaul have been removed as they failed to play due role in meeting the global security requirements of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
“The changes in the top two positions were made following intelligence report on the activities of the secretary and the Caab chairman since October last year when the issue of upgrading the security standards of Shahjalal airport came up,” said an official wishing not to be named.
“The ban on [Dhaka-London] direct air cargo has a huge political impact and the country’s image has been tarnished abroad,” he added.
He also said Khorshed Alam, who has now been made a member of the Planning Commission, is supposed to retire in the next few months.
TWO FIRMS SHORT-LISTED
Meanwhile, the authorities have short-listed two foreign companies from the list of four as suggested by the British High Commissioner Alison Blake in Dhaka during a meeting on Sunday.
Through analytical study, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh primarily picked REDLINE and RESTRATA. Two other companies are G4S and West Minster Security Services Ltd.
The service of the hired company will cover security management, quality control in civil aviation, Aviation Security (AVSEC) screeners training, infrastructural development and cargo security.
Group Capt (Retd) Alamgir, chief of the AVSEC Cell of Caab, has already contacted the companies to discuss the requirements and decide which one to choose, officials at the civil aviation ministry said.
“The authorities decided to appoint a firm from the list of the British High Commissioner because, despite several measures taken during the last few months since October last year, the UK assessments continue to identify a number of weaknesses at Shahjalal International Airport where shortage of capable and trained manpower is a major issue,” said an official.
After signing a contract with the Caab on March 24, the hired company will deploy its security personnel at the airport the very next day.
Asked for how long the company will be hired, the official said it could be for six months to one year. And asked how much it will charge, he said, “It will be fixed after the visit of the company officials. It will be a huge amount of money.”
Led by Alison Blake, the British delegation during Sunday’s meeting with the government suggested bringing in their trained operational staff for a short period to support security screening at the airport and arrange training for both operational and supervisory Bangladesh staff.
The meeting decided to select the foreign security firm by today or tomorrow and sent a comprehensive proposal to the civil aviation ministry between March 17 and March 18 for approval.
Meanwhile, a steering committee formed on Sunday for proper supervision of the measures taken to upgrade the security standard of the airport held a meeting at the civil aviation ministry yesterday.
