Condition of Hazrat Shahjalal Airport

We fully endorse the views of Mr. Shamsul Huq Zahid in his article published on November 3, 2014 on the condition of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).  I feel ashamed whenever I use the airport. There had been no occasion when I did not find litters spreading all over inside the airport building. The sweepers are found chatting with their colleagues ignoring the passengers. Normally, such cleaning works are carried out early in the morning before passengers turn up (although an international airport remains open throughout the day). And this cleaning work should continue without any break.

You need not look for toilets at the HSIA as the very bad smell would lead you there during nature's call. Everywhere one can find bad smell, very rude immigration police and airport staff, corrupt people and insects, a traveller observed in the recent past while using the HSIA.

I believe, without a very strict management, you cannot run any establishment. Like others, I had the opportunity of seeing many Asian airports which were found to be very clean and without stinks. The staff members, including immigration officials and security staff are ever smiling. They will greet you as you step in. I would urge the management to take immediate steps so that the HSIA might come out of the stigma of being the 9th worst airport in Asia. Impression matters a lot for foreign travellers because they carry it home. We must remember this.

M. Shafiqul Karim,

New Elephant Road

Dhaka

m.s.karim@cgiar.org