Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq chaired the 9th meeting of the National Air Transport Facilitation Committee at the CAAB headquarters on Sunday, bringing together key ministries and aviation stakeholders to streamline passenger, baggage and cargo movement.
The meeting, attended by representatives from ministries including civil aviation, home affairs, foreign affairs, agriculture, health and the National Board of Revenue, focused on reducing processing delays, improving coordination and strengthening aviation efficiency, the authority said in a press release.
CAAB Member Security Air Commodore Md Asif Iqbal attended as member secretary, alongside officials from Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Airline Operators Committee, Bangladesh Police and immigration authorities.
The committee operates under the International Civil Aviation Organization Annex 9 requirement, which mandates member states to maintain an effective national facilitation body and hold regular meetings. Such meetings are also a key benchmark in ICAO’s Universal Security Audit Programme Continuous Monitoring Approach evaluations.
Officials highlighted that improved facilitation directly enhances airport capacity, passenger service quality and time management, while reducing procedural complexity and strengthening inter-agency coordination.
Chairman CAAB Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq said facilitation and aviation security are closely linked and mutually reinforcing. “Effective facilitation ensures smoother implementation of security measures and helps create a safe, orderly and passenger-friendly airport environment,” he said.
He added that the Civil Aviation Act 2017 and the Civil Aviation Authority Act 2017 have strengthened the institutional framework and operational scope of the committee.
The meeting also reviewed ongoing challenges, including delays in passenger processing, coordination gaps and procedural limitations. Participants stressed the need for technology-driven solutions, integrated working methods and active engagement from all agencies.
Officials further emphasised stricter implementation of decisions, regular progress reviews and stronger monitoring to ensure the committee functions as an effective coordination platform for the aviation sector.
The initiative is expected to support compliance with international standards, improve passenger services, strengthen inter-ministerial coordination and enhance Bangladesh’s global aviation standing, particularly ahead of upcoming ICAO security audits.
