A legal notice has been issued demanding that the entire baggage handling process at airports, from aircraft cargo holds to baggage belts, be brought under CCTV surveillance and live-streamed for passengers to monitor in a bid to prevent theft.
Supreme Court lawyer Md Mahmudul Hasan Mamun issued the notice on Monday in the public interest.
The notice was addressed to the secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), chairman of the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC), managing director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and directors and managers of airports across the country, including Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
According to the notice, airports serve as Bangladesh’s gateway to the international community. However, passengers, including tourists, foreign diplomats, businesspeople and expatriate workers, have long faced allegations of luggage theft.
It said there have been allegations that locked luggage is cut open and valuables, including mobile phones, laptops, jewellery and cash, are stolen while bags are being transported from aircraft cargo holds to baggage belts.
The notice said such incidents cause financial losses and mental distress to passengers and damage Bangladesh’s image internationally.
It alleged that a section of ground-handling staff and loaders take advantage of inadequate surveillance in runway and baggage-sorting areas, including “blind spots” outside CCTV coverage.
CCTV coverage sought
The notice called for the entire baggage handling process to be brought under high-quality CCTV surveillance, including unloading bags from aircraft cargo holds, loading them onto trolleys, transporting them across the ramp and delivering them to baggage belts.
It also proposed displaying live footage of the process on large screens in arrival lounges so passengers can monitor the handling of their luggage.
The notice further called for luggage inspections by customs or security agencies to be conducted under camera surveillance, with the process displayed live to passengers.
Recruitment irregularities alleged
The notice also raised allegations of irregularities and corruption in the recruitment of airport staff.
It called for an end to alleged bribery and irregularities in the recruitment of loaders, ground-handling staff and security personnel and urged the establishment of a transparent, merit-based recruitment system.
It also called for active oversight by the ACC to ensure transparency in the recruitment process.
10-day deadline
The notice directed the authorities to take necessary administrative and legal measures within 10 days to introduce live CCTV broadcasting of the baggage handling process at all airports, ensure transparent luggage inspections and establish a transparent recruitment system.
It warned that failure to comply would lead to the filing of a public interest litigation petition before the High Court Division under Article 102 of the Constitution to protect the rights of passengers and expatriate Bangladeshis and safeguard the country’s image.