Staff Reporter
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat yesterday called for zero compromise on
aviation safety, stressing faster emergency responses, coordinated rescue operations and equal
enforcement of security protocols to protect passengers.
“Our goal must be: zero compromise on aviation safety,” he said while addressing the Airport Emergency
Exercise 2026 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) yesterday.
The exercise simulated an aircraft fire to assess how rescue, fire fighting and other emergency teams
would respond swiftly and jointly, including evacuating passengers and crew to safety.
Senior officials from the ministry, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the Civil Aviation Authority of
Bangladesh (CAAB), the Fire Service and other relevant agencies attended.
Millat said fire safety and emergency response capabilities are essential foundations for developing a
modern and safe aviation hub.
Recalling the fire at the airport’s import cargo complex in October last year during the interim
government’s tenure, he said the incident caused extensive damage and harmed the country’s image.
Ensuring safety and security is therefore a top priority for the current government, he said.
The minister stressed that the first few minutes following an airport accident or fire are critical and
directed the relevant agencies to further reduce response times.
He called for immediate communication and coordination among the Fire Service, airport operations
personnel, security units, medical teams and other agencies.
Where necessary, memorandums of understanding would be signed with relevant ministries and agencies
to strengthen crisis management, he said.
Millat said a National Civil Aviation Security Committee, the highest policymaking body for aviation
security, had been formed since the government assumed office.
An audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) would be held soon, he said, urging
officials to ensure compliance in areas where the organisation might raise observations.
Security protocols apply equally to everyone, including VIPs and CIPs, and must be followed uniformly
to ensure airport security, he added.
Referring to unauthorised drone flights during the cargo fire, Millat said an initiative would be taken to
install an anti-drone system to prevent such flights in the airport area.
The airport is a designated Key Point Installation (KPI), he said, adding that security equipment and
scanners must be available in numbers exceeding the minimum requirement.
The minister said passengers remain at the centre of all aviation activities and ensuring their safe,
seamless and comfortable travel is a collective responsibility.
He urged officials to remain vigilant so that passengers receive services of international standards and
reach their destinations safely.
Millat called for implementing recommendations from the post-exercise evaluation to improve emergency
management capabilities.
Regular and realistic exercises would strengthen airports’ preparedness and their capacity to respond
quickly and effectively, he said.
The government is committed to building a modern, efficient and safe civil aviation sector consistent with
international standards, giving the highest priority to safety and passenger services, he added.
The exercise also assessed emergency teams’ response capabilities, communication systems and
coordination. It examined how quickly teams could reach the scene, control a fire and evacuate
passengers and crew.
It was designed to identify gaps in preparedness, clarify agencies’ responsibilities and assess the
effectiveness of equipment and technology.
Millat also urged media professionals to remain vigilant against misinformation on social media during
emergencies and work together to protect the country’s image.
