HSJIA - a port of anomalies

Mohiuddin Babar | Published: September 15, 2015 00:00:00 | Updated: November 30, 2026 06:01:00

If you are a non-resident Bangladeshi returning home in an ecstatic mood, if you are a tourist coming with enthusiasm to discover Bangladesh, if you are a businessman returning after concluding a good deal abroad or if you are a representative of a world renowned brand hurrying to strike an agreement with a local garment supplier-you may not be surprised to have an irritating experience upon your disembarkation at the Dhaka airport. Known as Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport [HSJIA], this is the main airport in the country serving as the key gateway by air.
Over the years, this airport has expanded and improved in infrastructure to meet the growing demand in national, regional and international air traffic. On an average, 6.5 to 7.0 million passengers pass through this airport annually, both inbound and outbound. Over 26 airlines use this airport linking as many as for 40 direct destinations around the world. In a brief comparison, Netaji Subash Chandra Bose airport in Kolkata serves over 11 million passengers annually. However, 85 per cent of them are domestic travellers. With its renovated and state-of-the art status, the Kolkata airport authorities are pinning hopes for graduating it as the most attractive air traffic hub in the region.
Despite the significant development in infrastructure of the airport in Dhaka and a great improvement in its technology and instrumental capacity, a lack in management of passenger's needs and convenience is widely evident. Particularly, the scenario gets complex and mismatched when couple of flights land in quick space of time. Crowd
at the immigration control gets thick and passengers have to remain in long queue for quite some time. Though things have improved much with regard to the performance ability of the immigration officials, they need to enhance their efficiency in computer handling.
The worst part is with the delivery of baggage. It is often seen that baggage arrive at the conveyor belt one to one and half hours after landing of the aircraft. This should be grossly annoying. In many airports of the region, one is delighted to find his or her checked-in baggage as soon as he or she finishes the immigration formalities and steps into the baggage claim berth. Next comes the non-availability of trolleys. One has to move around the vast concourse in frantic search for a trolley.
These are all reflections of a poor management. Efficiency and dedication of the baggage handling people have been questioned many times but to no respite. There were even incidents of scuffles between passengers and the airport staff centring on baggage delivery.
The departure wing at the airport is much more attractive and disciplined than the arrival one. It should be remembered that the arrival wing including all its facilities need to be better placed so as to give the passengers a feel of comfort and the foreign visitors a good impression about the country.
The anomalies need to be addressed immediately, particularly on the eve of the Tourism Year in 2016 and the projected expectation of increased in-bound tourist flow. After all, first impression can be a lasting impression!
(The writer is a CSR consultant & broadcaster. mohicsr@gmail.com)