Menon: Airport security bolstered after Dhaka attack

The government has tightened airport security across Bangladesh after Gulshan terror attack to avoid any untoward incident, said Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon. “We will maintain a zero tolerance policy to ensure airport security,” he told reporters at Dhaka airport on Tuesday. “The security arrangement has been beefed up after recent attack, but it is not a 'red alert',” he promptly added. Before the briefing, Menon attended a meeting on security issues at the Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh headquarters. Germany has imposed a cargo ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka to any airport in Germany on June 27 on security grounds. On March 8, the UK also imposed a similar but temporary ban for the same reasons. National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines had to stop Dhaka-Frankfurt flight in 2014 due to lack of passengers. In December last year, Australia imposed a ban on direct air cargo shipment from Bangladesh, but later relaxed it after it was satisfied with Dhaka airport's security improvement report. Menon dubbed the direct cargo ban “a political decision”. He said the government would continue discussions with those countries at diplomatic level to end the ban.