As the Shahjalal International Airport (SIA) is the gateway, many of our expatriate workers arrive there daily and they have to go through many hassles. Surely, these workers, who earn for the country precious foreign currency, do not deserve such raw deal. They are found to be in long wait after spending so many years on foreign soil. In addition, many of them are seen being pestered in the name of fulfilling Customs formalities.
When ministers and the Bangladesh Bank governor boast that the foreign exchange reserve of the country now stands at US$20 billion or more, they forget that a sizeable chunk of this big amount comes from remittances from these toiling workers who work abroad day and night in hostile circumstances. But unfortunately, on landing in their motherland, they face the stark reality of waiting for long hours for to get their baggage. This is not at all acceptable.
One must remember that these expatriate workers would have left their destinations at least ten to 24 hours ago to arrive in Dhaka. After this long journey, the best present that Bangladesh could have given to them upon arrival would have been facilities to allow them a quick exit to meet their loved ones at home. But this is not to be. On the contrary, they are not only faced with this long wait but also unnecessary hassles with the Customs authorities that follow.
It appears from a report that the modernisation project of the airport for such facilities would cost around $10 to $15 million which was vetted by former Biman Managing Director Kevin Steele. He also had taken all the necessary initiatives that were needed to resolve this long standing issue of building proper facilities for quick baggage handling upon arrival.
Internationally acclaimed ground handling companies were invited to submit their proposals, but alas, that was not to be. So another credible and practical initiative by a proactive Managing Director was thwarted much to the agony of thousands of passengers/expatriate workers. Even the Prime Minister herself had given the go-ahead. The delay even after the PM's directive calls for an official enquiry.
We are busy trying to garner funds for mega projects from abroad. But one is shocked when it is found that a small amount of $15 million cannot be made available to upgrade the handling facilities. Surely, the Finance Minister can accommodate this small amount in the national budget that he has placed in the parliament. We are sure the MPs too will have no hesitation in approving it since it is for a project that affects each and every expatriate worker and all of them come from their respective constituencies.
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