The baggage trolley shortage at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has reached a critical level, leaving passengers waiting for hours to get trolleys.
With both returning Hajj flights and regular international services operating simultaneously, a severe shortage of trolleys has emerged at the airport.
Airport Executive Director Group Captain S M Ragib Samad said: “When many flights land at the same time, the number of passengers increases. Then a shortage of trolleys occurs and we face difficulties.”
He said that to address the crisis, 250 trolleys have been brought from Sylhet and Chittagong airports and were added to Shahjalal International Airport on Wednesday (June 3).
In response to a question on whether the trolley procurement process has been cancelled, he said: “The trolley procurement process has not been cancelled; it is still ongoing.”
Both Hajj pilgrims and general passengers have expressed frustration over the unavailability of trolleys on time. They alleged that airport authorities have failed to ensure the required number of trolleys. As a result, it is taking passengers two to three hours to exit the airport after disembarking and collecting their luggage.
Sources said the airport has long been facing a trolley shortage. Whenever two or three flights land at the same time, the shortage becomes immediately apparent. After collecting luggage from the belt, passengers are forced to wait for extended periods to get a trolley.
Following media reports on the issue, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism directed authorities to take necessary measures to address the trolley shortage and mosquito control. The ministry also instructed that there should be no trolley shortage during the Hajj season.
Following the directive, the procurement wing of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) sent a proposal to purchase 500 trolleys to headquarters for approval. However, CAAB Member (Operations) Mehboob Khan reportedly rejected the proposal, according to relevant sources.
At present, as the crisis has intensified, authorities have initiated efforts to bring trolleys from other airports and deploy them at Shahjalal Airport.
Severa CAAB officials wishing to be anonymous said that although development projects worth hundreds of crore taka have been implemented, the proposal to procure 500 trolleys was not executed. They said that had the trolleys been available, Hajj pilgrims and general passengers would not have faced such hardship. The ministry had also issued instructions regarding the procurement, but senior officials did not take them into account.
They further claimed that due to the severe shortage, Hajj pilgrims have been recording videos of their ordeal at the airport and sharing them on social media. After the issue gained public attention, authorities have become active. Since new trolleys cannot be procured immediately, efforts are underway to manage the situation by transferring trolleys from other airports.
The officials added that the situation reflects negligence by those concerned. They said that despite directives from the minister and state minister, the trolleys were not procured, which is damaging the airport’s reputation and putting officials in an embarrassing position.
Hajj returnee Ansar Ali said: “We performed Hajj peacefully and returned home. But after landing at the airport, we had to remain stuck for nearly three hours. We had to stand in long queues for a trolley. At one point, the trolleys ran out, and we had to wait even longer. Eventually, it took about three hours to exit the airport.”
He said: “Such management is unacceptable. Why should there be such a crisis over something as simple as trolleys? It does not cost hundreds of crore taka to purchase them.”
Another pilgrim, Osman Goni, said: “Why should passengers suffer so much over a minor issue? The trolley shortage also sends a negative message about the country’s image.”
He added: “There were several foreign passengers in my line. What impression did they leave about our country? Action should be taken against those responsible for this mismanagement.”
