Muktadir for setting up cargo village outside airport

Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir on Thursday called for establishing a dedicated cargo village outside the country's main airport to address the chronic congestion, saying Bangladesh must plan logistics infrastructure based on future trade and export needs.
He also stressed the need to keep the customs and the related cargo services operational during weekly holidays until a permanent solution to the increasing cargo backlog was implemented.
"Cargo continues to pile up at the airport because operations remain limited on Fridays and Saturdays," he told a meeting held at the secretariat to discuss airport cargo handling challenges and possible solutions.
The meeting reviewed non-tariff barriers raised by the European Union (EU) in the context of promoting trade and investment between Bangladesh and the bloc.
The minister said an airport should function as a transit point rather than a storage facility.
However, prolonged retention of cargo at the airport had created operational bottlenecks and increased pressure on the available space, he noted.
"Considering the demand over the next 10 years, we need to develop a separate cargo village outside the airport with modern and secure storage facilities," Muktadir said.
He said different categories of goods - including hazardous and non-hazardous cargo, as well as fast-moving and slow-moving products - should be handled through separate management systems to improve efficiency and bring cargo operations in line with international standards.
Officials at the meeting said while nearly the same volume of cargo arriving daily was being cleared, the backlog remained largely unchanged.
Stakeholders identified limited operations during weekly holidays as one of the key reasons behind the slow pace of clearing the congestion.
Muktadir said all relevant agencies had shown a positive attitude towards resolving the crisis and both short-term and long-term measures were being considered.
Another meeting would be held next week to review the updated data and determine the next course of action, he said.
He warned that inefficient cargo handling could undermine Bangladesh's image among international buyers and investors.
"The experience of an aircraft arriving in Bangladesh and the process of cargo clearance at the airport form the first impression for foreign buyers and investors. That experience cannot be negative," he said, urging the authorities to resolve the problem quickly.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam also expressed concern over the situation, saying cargo congestion was not only hurting businesses but also damaging Bangladesh's international reputation.
She asked the agencies concerned to demonstrate visible progress within seven days and accelerate measures to reduce congestion and ensure normal airport operations.
Participants at the meeting said the modernisation of cargo management, faster clearance procedures, and internationally competitive logistics services would further strengthen Bangladesh's export competitiveness in global markets, including the EU.
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