Tk100cr e-gates lie unused at most airports amid manual checks

Highlights:

• E-gates fail to speed up immigration at Dhaka airport.
• Only 5% of Dhaka passengers use the e-gates.
• Manual checks still required after passing through e-gates.
• Data integration issues limit full e-gate functionality.
• Passenger dissatisfaction grows over closed and ineffective e-gates.

When e-gates were inaugurated in June 2022 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital, the airport authorities announced that the immigration process would be completed within 18 seconds through the new digital setup.

However, the 26 e-gates installed at the Dhaka airport have largely remained unused for over the last two and a half years due to the ineffective immigration process.

Although passengers pass through the e-gates, they have to face immigration police again for further checks of their visas and passports.

The e-passport project authorities say e-gates can check only the authenticity of the passport, not other issues such as visas or a ban on a particular passenger's leaving the country.

Akhtar Hossain, special superintendent of immigration at Dhaka airport, told TBS, "Since the authenticity of passports can only be checked through e-gates, the police verify the documents for other matters."

Only 5% use of e-gates at Dhaka airport

Forty-four e-gates have been installed at various airports and land ports across Bangladesh at a cost of Tk100 crore, according to e-passport project authorities under the Department of Immigration and Passport.

Of them, 26 are at the Dhaka airport, six at the Chattogram airport, six at the Sylhet airport, four at the Benapole land port and two at the Banglabandha land port.

Although 44 e-gates are operational, the use of e-gates is approximately 5% at the Dhaka airport, 30% at the Chattogram airport, 40% at the Sylhet airport, 20% at the Benapole land port, and 80% at the Banglabandha land port, according to official data.

Having an e-passport is mandatory to use e-gates. The Department of Immigration and Passport started the e-passport project on 22 January 2020 in collaboration with a German company. 

Currently, 1.8 crore (51%) people have e-passports, while total passport holders are 3.5 crore.

After the introduction of e-passports, the Dhaka airport introduced digital passport scanners, aiming to streamline the immigration process and enhance security measures.

The new digital passport scanners are designed to quickly and accurately verify travellers' identities, reducing wait time and minimising errors associated with manual checks.

Later, with much fanfare, 26 e-gates were installed at Dhaka airport. Among them, 12 are for arrivals, 12 for departures and 2 for VIPs.

Passengers' dissatisfaction

A recent visit to the departure area revealed that one gate was under maintenance. The rest were open, but it was observed that passengers were not using the e-gates. Instead, they stood in the manual lines.

With a long queue of people in front of some immigration booths, it was immediately noticeable that signs were posted at the e-gates indicating they were closed. The gates were blocked with tapes.

When one of the officers on duty was asked about the e-gates, he said, "These actually don't work. They are open sometimes, but after scanning, passengers still have to get an immigration officer's stamp."

Some of the booths at the airport had "CLOSE" and "SCAN" written on the monitors.

Passengers were seen criticising the digital system at the airport. Passengers wondered why e-gates were closed when they were supposed to be used for e-passports.

Abdullah Hasan, a traveller who recently visited Singapore, told TBS, "I passed immigration in Singapore through an e-gate. It takes only a few seconds."

What do e-passport authorities say?

A source from the e-passport authorities said the Special Branch (SB) of police has not yet integrated all their data with the e-gates. "As a result, its full functionality is yet to be achieved. However, both parties are working to resolve this issue," he said.

Differing with that, a top official of the project said the SB police provided all information as per requirements.

Brigadier General Mohammad Nurus Salam, project director of the e-Passport and Automated Border Control Management Project, said, "It will be used by SB police. The police do not use it because the traditional system requires stamping passports. Anyone who goes through an e-gate still has to get the stamp after passing through."

Passengers get discouraged from using it because even though there is a machine, people have become dependent on the stamp, he said. "That's why no matter how much we push for it, people don't want to use it. Also, the police themselves are reluctant. Therefore, they don't encourage people to use it."

Highlighting the limitations of the e-gates, Salam said, "In Bangladesh, we are currently cancelling many passports. The e-gates cannot check that. The visa has to be checked manually. Some countries issue manual visas, while others provide e-visas. The e-gates cannot detect these. Moreover, if someone has a court verdict prohibiting him/her from traveling abroad, how will the e-gate identify that?"

As a solution, he said, "We can start using it gradually. For example, those returning from abroad can use the e-gates to enter, and there's no need for further checks. Just stamping and letting them go is sufficient. There's no hassle in this."

Salam further said, "We are continuously advising the police about this. The Civil Aviation [Authority of Bangladesh] is working on it. I hope it will be implemented."

The e-passport project director told TBS last night, "The civil aviation authorities have recently taken some new initiatives. The use of the e-gate has increased somewhat over the past 2–3 weeks. However, I am not satisfied."

Emphasising the responsible role played by the immigration police, he said, "The immigration police need to play a greater role to encourage passengers to use the e-gates. After passing through the e-gates, their documents should not be unnecessarily re-verified."