-Immigration completes shortly after flight landing
- Expatriates can talk to family for free on telephone
- Wi-Fi connection is free at airport
- No employment permission needed from Ministry of Expatriate Welfare
Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment has taken several initiative to give due respect to expatriates. Asif Nazrul, advisor to this ministry, has announced that VIP (Very Important Person) service for expatriates will be launched at the airport within a month.
In the first phase, expatriates coming to the country from the Middle East will get preferences. Expatriates will get all the rest of VIP facilities except lounge and special immigration desk.
However, before this announcement, there have been many changes in the passenger service of Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA). Expatriates had to stand in a long queue at the immigration after getting off the flight. Then they had to wait for hours for the luggage. But now the image of the airport has completely changed. Immigration have completed shortly after the flight lands. Baggage is arrived now before going to the belt. Expatriates can talk to family members for free on the telephone. Apart from this, passengers using smartphones get free Wi-Fi connection. Besides, everyone working at the airport is smiling and talking to expatriates. People traveling through this airport are happy with it.
Shahjalal airport sources said that after the interim government led by Dr Muhammad Yunus took charge on August 8, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) officials were reshuffled at Shahjalal Airport. Since then passenger services have been increasing at the airport.
Now trying to continue this trend, CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Manjur Kabir Bhuiyan said that the change in passenger service at the airport since last August should continue. For that I visit the airport almost every day. Talk to the officials and employees of various organizations working at the airport, so that they provide adequate services to the passengers. He said, besides, I have told everyone, so that they talk to passengers and expatriates with a smile. One day I went through the immigration, baggage collection, checking process with the passengers anonymously. I have seen, almost all passengers are satisfied with the airport service. Now when the third terminal of Shahjalal is opened, the passengers will get world class service.
Meanwhile, the Shahjalal Airport Authority said that the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) call center was inaugurated on July 27, 2023 to ensure passenger service. Now anyone in the country can contact the call center (09614-013600) and avail the service. Apart from this, airport authorities launched a web portal on the same day to increase passenger services. Any airport-related information is available at this call center. And the portal has list of names of customs duty officers, information on immigration police services, security services and first aid services, wheelchair services, banking and money exchange services, phone numbers of all officials on duty at the airport in case of emergency, lost and found services, which airlines and which flights when Passengers can know when they will leave and arrive at home. However, since the middle of last August, the promotion of these services has increased. And the behavior of everyone working at the airport has also changed. Meanwhile, passengers are also expressing satisfaction with the service quality.
They say that they always have to suffer to get their luggage when they return home from abroad for a long time due to their job. Many times the luggage is broken. The theft of goods has also occurred. Now the passengers do not suffer much. Even the members of the immigration police who used to talk to the passengers with a blank face, are now very sincere in their attitude. On the other hand, many expatriates back home do not have mobile SIM cards. Even if a family member came to the airport, it was difficult to contact or locate him. Now telephones have been arranged at separate places for passengers inside the airport. If someone does not know how to use the telephone, the concerned are cooperating. Apart from this there is free Wi-Fi. No one has seen such sincerity of airport authorities before.
It is known that now 120-130 planes of more than 30 airlines take off and land at Terminal 1 and 2 at Shahjalal International Airport. Every day about 20 thousand passengers of these aircraft use the two terminals of the airport. As such, there is an opportunity to serve about 8 million passengers a year. If the third terminal is opened, it will be possible to serve another 1.20 crore passengers, said CAAB.
Meanwhile, not only changes in airport passenger services, but also some decisions have been taken by the Expatriate Welfare Ministry of the new government to reduce the suffering of expatriates and increase services.
It is said that there are various complaints about Bangladesh embassies and labor wings in different countries. Henceforth it will be brought under strict surveillance. Complaints of expatriates and action taken against them should be sent to the Ministry in the form of regular reports. If it doesn't work, the responsibility will be changed. If the embassy works properly, it will be possible to eliminate many irregularities. The permission of three organizations is required to send workers abroad; henceforth no employment permission will be required from the Ministry of Expatriate Welfare. This will reduce the suffering and time of the workers. Apart from this, the violence of brokers or middlemen plays a role in increasing the cost of immigration. So brokers will be registered. Recruiting agency will be given category certificate based on experience. In this everyone will know about the quality of the agency.
ZH
