The government plans to extend the export-cargo apron at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) for more secure cargo-handling.Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said Monday the cargo-apron extension would ensure a protected aircraft-parking and cargo-handling zone at the country’s largest airport.The state-run aviation organisation will invest Tk 1.86 billion from its own coffer to expand the cargo apron, also called cargo aircraft-parking place, by June 2018.Bangladesh recently received a blow from some developed nations, especially from the buyer countries of Bangladeshi products, as they suspended direct cargo flight from the HSIA to their own airports.The United Kingdom, Australia and Germany-based air service provider Lufthansa imposed ban on direct cargo flights from HSIA on security grounds.Insiders said cargo, goods and document handling at the Dhaka airport is one of the weakest in the world due to inadequate infrastructure and related facilities.Acting Director (Planning and Training) of the Authority Md Nurul Islam said the CAAB would extend the apron northwards with its own funds to accommodate more cargo flights in a secured manner.He said since the proposed cargo-apron area would be closer from the cargo-handling place at the airport, the goods for export and import would be more secure.”Besides, the parking areas of Shahjalal airport are required to be extended due to the shortage of parking place at this moment. The proposed extension of the apron will accommodate additional 4-5 aircraft,” Mr Islam said.Currently, HSIA has a capacity for parking some 29 aircraft at a time while the airport handles nearly 200 local and foreign flights daily.The director said: “We have sent our project proposal to the ministry of finance for getting approval. Soon after the approval, we will start work.”He said the extension of apron will ensure more security at the airport. “The cargo aircraft would be able to operate smooth and secured at the airport. The cargo handling will also be secure,” said CAAB spokesperson AKM Rezaul Karim.Insiders at the cargo-handling operation at HSIA said there were huge backlogs at the airport.”Goods of only big companies are being shipped on the flights. Goods of mid-and small-level apparel exporters are mostly left out. If the situation persists, we will be unable to prevent damage,” said a cargo-handling company official.The CAAB recently also extended the passenger apron from foxtrot taxiway towards west and export- cargo apron from northern side of the existing apron at HSIA at a cost of Tk 4.44 billion.
