Security has been intensified at Shah Amanat International Airport and the surrounding seaport areas following concerns about potential cyberattacks on critical installations.
To avert any security breach, airport authorities and law enforcement agencies have launched a joint security operation, introducing a four-layer security ring and imposing a strict ban on rallies, processions, or public gatherings near the airport, port, and customs zones.
Group Captain Sheikh Abdullah Alamgir, Director of the airport, told UNB that Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has issued a nationwide cyber alert to all airports to safeguard aviation systems from possible threats.
“Even before this directive, we had already heightened security measures at Chattogram airport to avoid any untoward situation,” he said.
“Passenger surveillance has been ramped up, and our own security teams are on 24-hour patrol. A task force led by the Bangladesh Air Force is also on standby to maintain overall safety.”
Public Relations Officer Mohammad Ibrahim Khalil said the densely populated Patenga area, where the airport is located, has been placed under special watch to prevent unauthorized access. Members of the Armed Police Battalion and Ansar are maintaining a tight perimeter around the airport, ensuring boundary security and monitoring entry points.
A comprehensive four-tier security system is now active in covering the entrance, security checkpoints, baggage screening zones, and the runway area.
Meanwhile, Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has strengthened security around the port to ensure uninterrupted import and export operations. CMP Deputy Commissioner (Traffic-Port) Kabir Ahmed said that all rallies, processions, and public gatherings have been banned for 30 days in key locations, including Barik Building, Nimtala, Customs Crossing, and Saltgola intersections.
He noted that the Chittagong Port Authority had earlier requested law enforcement to restrict public gatherings in and around the port and jetties to safeguard operational security.
The secured zone, stretching from Agrabad to Patenga, covers around 12 square kilometers and houses critical facilities, including two government export processing zones, the Padma, Meghna, and Jamuna oil depots, and several state-owned and private oil refineries.
