Fears of rampant smuggling and security risks
Although there are two scanning machines (EDS) at Sylhet Osmani International Airport they are not of much use. One machine has been inactive since April 27 last year, while the other is operational it is not possible to identify drugs, weapons, explosives and other suspicious objects, it is ‘invisible’. In that sense, both machines are like showpieces. This has created a free opportunity for smuggling through this airport. Along with this, there is also a fear of security risks, said the concerned people.
Airport sources said that the job of the scanning machine at the cargo station is to identify whether there are prohibited goods or suspicious objects in a consignment of goods. The image of the product can be seen on the machine’s monitor. But the currently operational machine is not able to do so. Again, nothing is displayed on the scanner’s monitor either. In this situation, the EDS machine diverts any product consignment through the belt and sends it to the bag searcher for manual examination.
The EDS scanner cannot provide information to the bag searcher without providing any information about the scanning image in advance. As a result, if there is any prohibited item in the consignment of goods, the scanning operators have to open it and check it manually. In this situation, the operators have to check the consignment of goods in a state of fear.
Airport officials said that the scanning machine is broken, which has opened the door to smuggling through Sylhet Airport. Prohibited items including gold are being smuggled every day. A class of officials are taking illegal advantage of this. Again, although the authorities are aware of the machine being inoperative, they are not taking immediate action for unknown reasons. This has also raised big questions.
Civil Aviation Authority (Bebichak) Member (Security) Air Commodore Mohammad Naimuzzaman Khan mentioned the matter in a letter to the Executive Director of Central Procurement (SEMSU) on January 20, informing him of the increased risk in security operations at Sylhet Osmani Airport. In the letter, the non-operating scanning machine was quickly activated and the machine operating in auto mode was requested to take measures to display the image on the monitor as per the Standard Operating Procedure-SOP.
In this regard, Md. Rezaul Islam, Executive Director of the Central Procurement (SEMSU) Unit of the BMC, told our time, “We have received a letter from the BMC headquarters regarding the scanning machine at Osmani Airport. Action is being taken accordingly.”
Do Follow: greenbanglaonline24
