Minister orders faster baggage handling at Shahjalal airport

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has ordered airport authorities to reduce the time needed to deliver baggage to passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The minister gave the instruction during a surprise inspection of the airport on Sunday.

During his visit, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Jeddah via Chattogram landed at around 1pm. The minister monitored the entire baggage-handling process, from opening the cargo hold to handing over the baggage safely to passengers.

He asked officials to ensure better coordination between the opening of the passenger gate and the cargo hold after an aircraft lands. This, he said, would help reduce passengers’ waiting time for their baggage.

The minister also ordered ground-handling staff to be present on time and prepared before each flight lands.

He directed the authorities to install live monitoring screens at the airport to display real-time information on baggage-handling operations. The move is aimed at improving transparency and allowing passengers to track the progress of baggage delivery.

The minister also inspected several washrooms at the airport and stressed the need to maintain cleanliness for passengers.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director Kaizer Sohel Ahmed, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq and senior officials of Biman and CAAB were present during the inspection.

The government has adopted a zero-tolerance policy towards passenger harassment at the country's airports.
The ministry said closer monitoring of baggage handling would help reduce passenger complaints and improve services at Shahjalal airport.