Bangladesh aviation minister says talks on with UK, Germany for withdrawal of cargo flight ban

Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon has said diplomacy is ongoing to persuade Germany and the UK to lift the ban they imposed earlier on the direct entry of Bangladesh cargo flights into their countries.

At a press conference following a meeting on civil aviation security he said, “The bans on cargo transport by the UK and Germany are political in nature and talks are on at the diplomatic levels to have them lifted.”

“The government will follow a zero tolerance policy in civil aviation security measures,” the minister added.

Citing falling security standards in Dhaka, the German government had slapped the embargo towards the end of June on the entry of Bangladesh cargo flights into its country.

A similar ban has also been imposed by the UK and Australia.

The Bangladesh authorities heeded a suggestion from the UK and entrusted the security of Shahjalal International Airport to the British firm Redline Assured Security in the last week of March.

As a result, the airport obtained the RA-3 (EU Aviation Security Validated Regulated Agent) security status.

This had led to the minister to declare at the time that cargo flights from Bangladesh had obtained clearance to land in these countries after being routed through a third country.

According to this arrangement, cargo flights from Bangladesh will be re-screened in a third country before entering Australia. In the case of the UK, no screening would be required, the minister had said.

Talking of the ministry’s eagerness to resume direct cargo flights into these countries, he said, “Today, a committee comprising secretary-level officers of various ministries will meet the ambassadors of seven nations. They will seek explanations as to why despite the fulfillment of all conditions direct cargo flights are yet grounded.”

“We’ll tell them, you gave us RA-3, private German carrier Lufthansa also inspected security arrangements. Despite all that, why does the prohibition continue?” the minister said.

Conceding that the recent terror attacks would crop up at the talks and these may be cited as security loopholes, the minister said that security had been stepped up at Shahjalal airport as well as at all domestic airports.

Responding to a query from a journalist, he said, “We have beefed up security at the airports. I won’t term it Red Alert. It carries a different connotation.”