Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has written to her British counterpart David Cameron requesting him to reconsider ban on direct cargo movement from Dhaka to London.
“The letter has been handed over to the British authorities through diplomatic channel,” said a senior government official yesterday.
Hasina's letter was in response to Cameron’s March 8 letter, where he informed Hasina that direct cargo movement from Dhaka to London had been banned due to insufficient security at Dhaka airport.
He further said if there was no improvement plan developed and delivered to address the security situation at Dhaka airport, the Dhaka-London direct flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines would also be suspended from March 31.
Hasina in her letter said it was in the common interest of all to work together in fulfilling the international obligation with regard to aviation security.
Hasina said the government has been working closely with the UK and other friendly countries to employ specific measures in addressing the security shortcomings at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
She assured Cameron that ensuring aviation security remains a top priority of her government.
It is in this spirit that the government will continue to remain closely engaged with the UK and other countries in any specific manner to secure fool-proof application of safety and security measures at the airport, including unfettered access to British security experts, the letter said.
In view of the above, Hasina requested the British government to reconsider the decision of suspending direct cargo services from Dhaka to the UK, keeping in mind the historic relations between Bangladesh and the UK at many levels.