State Minister for Civil Aviation M Mahbub Ali on Monday asked the officials concerned at immigration to not to interrogate each passenger during immigration at Dhaka Airport. “We have talked to the immigration authorities and asked them not to interrogate every passenger to avoid harassment. They can interrogate the person who is suspicious to them and they will be under interrogation in separate, if needed. Besides, it is difficult to interrogate all in one day,” he said while talking to reporters after observing the overall situation of the airport on Monday. We came here to monitor the airport management and check the performance of the airport authorities, he said. Also read: Nominees of pilgrims unable to attend hajj 2022 can withdraw deposited money The ministry has formed a team to monitor the airport management and they visited the airport area three days in a week, he added. Referring to the hajj management, the minister said all preparation has been taken to start hajj flights from May 31. “We have taken preparation to conduct the hajj flights with our own flight Biman Bangladesh Airlines,” There are four aircrafts of Boeing-777 out of 21 aircrafts of Biman and in 2019, hajj flight was conducted with the four flights and it will be the same in this year too, said Mahbub. “We are working to maintain hajj flights without any disruption and the authorities concerned are monitoring the hajj flight activities regularly,” he said. Noting that there is a trolley crisis at the airports, Mahbub said a number of close circuit cameras were installed to check harassment of passengers, if any. Also read: Hajj registration to start from May 16 He also urged the officials concerned at ground handling of the airport, to join their work thirty minutes before their scheduled time and exit their workplace half hours after their working time to ensure smooth service of the passengers. This year, a total of 57,856 pilgrims will be able to perform Hajj from Bangladesh and of them 53,585 will travel under private management. The minimum cost under government management has been fixed at Tk 4,62, 150 this year which is over Tk 1 lakh more than 2020. Flights carrying Bangladeshi pilgrims to Saudi Arabia to perform Hajj will begin on May 31, said the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry on April 27.

There is a plan to construct a new international airport named  ‘Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib International Airport,’ in the vicinity of Dhaka ensuring the latest standards to make Bangladesh as an air connectivity hub between the East and the West, said State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali on Monday. He said this in Parliament, replying to a starred question from treasury bench lawmaker Shahiduzzaman Sarker (Naogaon-2). Read: Ensure proper use of water to conserve it: PM The state minister said now eight airports remain in operation under Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority in the country. On the other hand, three STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) airports – Thakurgaon, Shamshernagar and Cumilla—and three domestic airports – Ishwardi, Lalmonirhat and Bogura—remain closed. Govt plans to operate flight on Jashore-Ctg route In reply to a starred question from Awami League MP Shafiqul Islam Shimul (Natore-2), Mahbub Ali said there is a plan to increase the weekly flights frequency on all existing domestic routes as well as to operate flights on some non-traditional routes like Jashore-Chattogram-Jashore route considering the demand of passengers. The state minister said the flight operation started on Sylhet-Cox’s Bazar-Sylhet on November 12, 2020, Sylhet-Chattogram-Sylhet route on March 17, 2021 and Syedpur-Cox’s Bazar-Syedpur on October 07, 2021. Noting that the weekly flight frequency was increased on different international routes, he said a process is on to operate non-stop commercial flight between Dhaka and Toronto from June 11, 2022. Read: Expedite Shahjalal Airport's extension work, PM directs authorities In reply to another starred question from ruling party MP Momotaz Begum, the state minister said Biman Bangladesh Airlines (Biman) has a fleet of 21 aircraft including three leased ones. Now a programme is underway to assess the feasibility over the inclusion of new generation passenger aircraft and cargo planes to the fleet in order to enhance the passenger transportation capacity and improve the services, said Mahbub Ali.  

‘Padma Cruise’ was launched on Thursday at Shimulia ferry terminal in Lauhajang to boost river tourism on Padma River.

Coronavirus outbreak in China, which has spread to two dozen countries, will negatively affect Bangladesh’s tourism and aviation sectors, a senior government official said Wednesday.