Bangladesh's main gateway of entry and departure of international air traffic, the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka, had never been a friendly and welcome place for airline passengers and visitors until recently. In fact, the hours of delay, hassles and harassment that both the outgoing and incoming passengers had to go through at the immigration desks and the carousels to collect baggage would drive the inexperienced ones mad. But, of late, thanks to the political changeover, HSIA has reportedly taken a new look when it comes to the quality of service the airport staff provides at different desks. This is definitely a commendable move made by the interim government soon after its assumption of office. As in modern times an airport mirrors the overall state of the government of the time and, of course, society that it represents, such improvements are most desirable.
So, the very sight that an army of airport officials and staff members are trying to help, not create difficulty, as they would usually do in the past, for the passengers to complete immigration and other formalities is eminently uplifting for compatriots as well as foreign visitors. In this connection, it is especially heartening to learn that the country's foreign currency earners, the migrant workers, are receiving good treatment at the airport in that a cost-free help desk has been set up for them at the departure lounge. Most importantly, the report that 54 members of airport staff are working round-the-clock at the expatriate welfare desk reportedly with free Wi-Fi and ten telephone booths where passengers can make calls free of charge is indeed music to the ears of the general passengers and of migrant workers in particular who despite their invaluable service to the nation were never until recently treated as respectable human beings. On the contrary, their luggage like those of other non-VIP passengers would be cut open and valuable belongings stolen by a gang of airport staff in the name of checking.
Sadly, it was also the experience of those who were not VIPs. The mindset of the airport officials is bureaucratic, to say the least. Though the services at the HSIA and other airports of the country were never better, things came to a head during the immediate past regime. Briefly put, it was then the era of VIPs, when commoners, let alone the migrant workers, were hardly considered eligible for any decent service at the country's airports. It is said that the positive changes have been taking place, especially after the new chairman took charge of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and a new executive director was appointed to handle affairs at the HSIA.
Obviously, credit for all these positive developments at the HSIA goes to the interim government after August revolution. Naturally, the revolutionary zeal for transformation like in every other tier of administration has also touched the HSIA. A note of caution at this point, however, is warranted. It is not for the first time that the nation experienced big changes, some quite revolutionary. Consider the revolutionary conditions in post-independence Bangladesh. People were then dreaming of building a new society and were ready to dedicate everything for that cause. But it did not take long to get disillusioned as politicians at the helm failed the nation. The changes visible at the HSIA are the microcosm of what is taking place all across the nation. It is important to sustain and consolidate the positive changes taking place at HSIA and all around.
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