Cargo villages should be built outside airports

Separate cargo villages should be built outside airports with modern storage facilities to tackle the ongoing cargo backlogs, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said yesterday.

Airports should function as transit points for goods, rather than warehouses, he said, at a discussion event held as part of efforts to address non-tariff barrier issues raised by the European Union (EU), reads a press release.

Out of the three international airports in Bangladesh, only Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka has a cargo village at present.

Participants at the event noted that currently, daily cargo clearance roughly matches incoming volumes, but limited services on Fridays and Saturdays prevent the backlog from being reduced.

To address this, the minister called for the customs and related services to remain operational on holidays until a permanent infrastructure is in place.

Taking into account the demand growth over the next 10 years, separate management systems should be developed for hazardous, non-hazardous, fast-moving, and slow-moving cargo, he said.

“An aircraft arriving in the country and the experience of clearing goods at the airport are the first introduction of Bangladesh to foreign buyers and investors. That experience can in no way be negative,” he said.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam said the cargo backlog is not only causing losses to businesses but also damaging Bangladesh’s image internationally.

Besides, there is a risk of accidents at any time, she said, calling on relevant agencies to show visible progress in cargo handling within the next seven days.

She said the pressure could be reduced through the quick disposal of detained and confiscated goods and by making alternative storage arrangements.