An automated border control system, or e-gate, has been introduced at the arrival counters of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, allowing e-passport holders to complete immigration in just 18 to 20 seconds and avoid long queues.
The introduction of e-gates at the arrivals section has eased passenger hassle and significantly reduced the time required for immigration, officials said.
Speaking to Dhaka Tribune on Monday afternoon, Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) Director General Major General Md Alimul Amin said e-gates had been introduced at the airport’s arrival counters and passengers could now complete immigration within a very short time.
“We also want to introduce e-gate services at departures. We are working on it,” he said.
However, he said the departure service was not yet technically ready. Although passengers’ passports can be scanned at the departure e-gates, the system cannot currently complete the required stamping process, leaving the service suspended.
During a visit to the airport, a Dhaka Tribune correspondent found that passengers still have to collect their arrival stickers manually from a police booth after completing e-immigration.
Officials said the process would be simplified once the third terminal becomes operational, and passengers would no longer have to visit the police booth separately to collect their arrival stickers.
Complications with e-immigration at departures
Airport immigration officials said Bangladesh faces several technical and operational challenges in fully digitising immigration services, including e-gates and e-visa verification.
These challenges include an insufficient number of e-gates and barcode and biometric reader devices, frequent server downtime and delays in IT systems.
There is also no real-time integration among the databases of the National Identity Card (NID) system, the Department of Immigration and Passports (DIP) and the Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET).
As a result, even minor discrepancies in passengers’ names or dates of birth can prevent e-gates from automatically identifying them.
Technical problems with facial-recognition cameras and fingerprint-matching systems can also cause the gates to reject legitimate passengers. In addition, some immigration officials lack the technical expertise needed to operate digital systems and verify e-visas.
Major General Alimul Amin said several technical, institutional and practical challenges remain in converting departure immigration into a fully digital system.
“That is why the service is currently suspended. But we are working to simplify this service, as well as passport-related services, as soon as possible,” he said.
Passengers welcome e-immigration
Passengers said the introduction of e-gates at arrivals had reduced both waiting time and hassle, allowing them to complete immigration automatically within 18 to 20 seconds.
Liton Kabir, who recently returned from Thailand, told Dhaka Tribune: “The e-passport was once a dream for the people of Bangladesh. The e-gate was introduced alongside it. Although the service was closed for various reasons, I feel relieved now that it has reopened. If it is introduced at departures soon, travelling will become even easier.”
Rajib Ahmed, who recently returned from Turkey, said the service had made the arrival process much easier.
“This was our first family tour. With an e-passport, you can clear immigration in about 18 seconds. It would have been great to have the facility at departures too, as it would save a lot of time. The government should pay attention to this,” he said.
An immigration official said passengers using e-gates at departures still have to return to the immigration desk for visa verification and other checks, meaning the process takes almost as long as before.
“This makes passengers angry. Data from the e-gates also often fails to reach the immigration software. That is why the departure e-gates have remained closed,” he said.
He added that while e-gates are currently closed for departing passengers at Shahjalal Airport, they are operational for arriving passengers.
Why departure e-gates remain closed
Bangladesh introduced e-passports in February 2020, becoming the first country in South Asia to do so. E-gates were subsequently installed at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to facilitate faster and more efficient immigration processing.
However, technical problems and the continued need for manual visa verification and other checks created complications. As a result, passengers still had to visit immigration desks even after using the e-gates, prompting authorities to suspend their operation.
Several members of the Immigration Police's Special Branch, speaking on condition of anonymity, said around 40% of passengers using the airport each day hold e-passports.
They said the e-gates can automatically verify passport and passenger information but cannot independently verify visas.
The system also lacks provisions to automatically store information on passengers’ destinations or flights.
Consequently, visa verification continues to be conducted manually, even when passengers use the e-gates. This contributes to long queues at departure immigration, particularly when several flights arrive or depart around the same time.
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad told Dhaka Tribune that the e-gates can currently verify only passport information and cannot verify visas and other details.
“That is why the e-gates have been kept closed at departures. But we hope the service will start soon,” he said.
Immigration services to be modernised
The government has taken an initiative to modernise Bangladesh's immigration system by integrating the existing Immigration Management System (IMS) with new technologies.
The Ministry of Home Affairs has formed a 10-member committee to review fee-setting, payment collection and settlement procedures under the system and develop an appropriate financial model.
The notice was issued on October 19 by the Departure-4 branch of the ministry's Security Services Division and published on October 25.
According to the notice, the government plans to integrate the Advance Passenger Information System (APIS), Passenger Name Record (PNR), e-Visa and Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) systems, as well as a sovereign data analytics platform, with the existing IMS.
The government is also considering appointing a third party to modernise the relevant infrastructure and implement the programme.
As part of the initiative, the committee will review immigration facilitation charges, revenue collection and remittance procedures, and payment mechanisms. It will also prepare proposals on appropriate fees and a suitable financial model.
The committee is headed by the Joint Secretary of the Planning-1 wing of the Ministry of Home Affairs, while the Deputy Secretary of the Departure-4 branch will serve as its member-secretary.
Other members include the Joint Secretary of the Departure-1 wing of the Home Ministry and representatives from the Finance Division, National Board of Revenue (NBR), Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Special Branch, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Bangladesh Land Port Authority and the Department of Immigration and Passports.