Snail’s pace immigration counters at Dhaka irk foreign investors | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Wednesday
May 28, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Epaper
  • Economy
    • Aviation
    • Banking
    • Bazaar
    • Budget
    • Industry
    • NBR
    • RMG
    • Corporates
  • Stocks
  • Analysis
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
WEDNESDAY, MAY 28, 2025
Snail’s pace immigration counters at Dhaka irk foreign investors

Economy

Abul Kashem
21 October, 2021, 10:50 pm
Last modified: 21 October, 2021, 11:02 pm

Related News

  • Airlines GSA Forum of Bangladesh officially launched
  • Private airlines for urgent reform of aviation regulations
  • Canada keen to invest in Bangladesh's aviation sector
  • Jet fuel price cuts will positively affect air ticket prices: Caab chairman
  • Ensuring accountability improved passenger services at Dhaka airport: Outgoing ED

Snail’s pace immigration counters at Dhaka irk foreign investors

Quick and trouble-free services at the airport create a positive image of a country

Abul Kashem
21 October, 2021, 10:50 pm
Last modified: 21 October, 2021, 11:02 pm
Photo: Pinterest
Photo: Pinterest

Foreign investors, especially those from Japan, feel discouraged to come to Bangladesh as they are reportedly having to go through a lengthy immigration process that even takes 3-4 hours at times at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.

"Long queues are often observed at the immigration counters of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Sometimes, it even takes 3-4 hours to complete the immigration process," Yuji Ando, country representative at Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro), said in an inter-ministerial meeting last month.

If the immigration system improves, it will give a positive signal to investors, he said.

The meeting was chaired by Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (Bida) Executive Chairman Sirazul Islam last month.

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

An airport is the gateway to a country. Quick and trouble-free services at the airport create a positive image of a country. The airport acts as a catalyst to attract foreigners to a country for travel, tourism, business and investment, Yuji pointed out.

Last year at the Japan-Bangladesh Public-Private Economic Dialogue in the Prime Minister's Office also, Japanese investors expressed their frustration with the long delay at immigration.

At a recent digital seminar on banking support for Bangladesh-Japan trade and business growth, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh ITO Naoki said the companies of his country are looking at Bangladesh as a new frontier of investment in Asia.

But one of the outstanding issues in bringing ease of doing business in Bangladesh is the known restrictive use of telegraphic transfer in settling import transactions, he added.

As part of its measures to woo investments in Bangladesh, Bida provides foreign investors with a range of services at airports – assisting in completing immigration process and hotel booking, transport arrangement, and drawing up an itinerary as per their needs.

To this end, Bida set up a help desk at the airport, but the service is now limping because of a manpower shortage.

"Only one employee has been assigned to this task and he cannot work 24 hours," reads the minutes of the inter-ministerial meeting.

The meeting suggested that an initiative be taken to man this desk with the assistance of the Bangladesh Economic Zones Authority, the Bangladesh Export Processing Zone Authority, the Bangladesh Hi-Tech Park Authority and the Public-Private Partnership Authority.

Bida will coordinate with the agencies to provide foreign investors with welcoming services at the airport.

Yoshinori Goto, assistant project manager at the Aviation Dhaka Consortium, said the existing airport facilities can be optimised and upgraded if vacant posts of immigration officers are filled and the number of dedicated lanes for investors is increased.

The manual immigration process takes 5-10 minutes per passenger in normal cases and the time increases if there is any special issue. Immigration officers can be trained up for their efficiency enhancement, he also said.

Automated border control systems or e-gates have been installed at the Dhaka airport, but these machines are not working yet. Once these are in service, the immigration process will speed up, Goto added.

He noted that a payment-based automated border control system can be introduced for foreign investors.

Goto also proposed resuming the visa-on-arrival facility for duly-vaccinated investors.

The Bida executive chairman said in the meeting that the issues related to immigration process are significantly connected to ensuring an investor-friendly business environment and ease of doing business.

The two existing international terminals of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport cannot serve the increased number of passengers and transportation of goods. That is why the government has taken steps to construct a third terminal to enhance the airport's capacity.

If the existing facilities improve, foreign investors will have hassle-free services.

AHM Touhidul Ahsan, executive director at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, said there are 48 counters for providing immigration services and appointing immigration officers and managing queues or waiting lines is the responsibility of the Immigration Department.

A dedicated immigration counter for foreign investors can be arranged if such a proposal is sent to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), he said.

There are now only 55 immigration officers at the Dhaka airport and they work eight hours by rotation, he added.

Md Shahriar, deputy secretary to the Security Services Division, said they will actively consider fast-tracking immigration procedures. Travellers with e-passports will pass immigration using electronic gates when the system is activated.

To remove hassle at immigration for foreign investors, Bida will request the foreign ministry to resume the visa-on-arrival facility for investors and business persons possessing PI, B, E and E1 visas. A request will be sent to the ministry to reduce the time of issuing visas on arrival, according to the meeting minutes.

Besides, Bida will propose that CAAB allocate four exclusive immigration counters at the third terminal of the Dhaka airport and a dedicated immigration counter at first and second terminals for foreign investors.

The meeting decided that the Security Services Division will fill up all vacant positions of immigration officers and will take necessary action to introduce a multichannel horizontal line queue system in place of single-line single-channel system to fast-track the immigration procedures.

Top News / Aviation / Trade

aviation / Foreign investment / Immigration / Slow Immigration / Long Immigration times

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • Leaders and activists of BNP gather at Nayapaltan ahead of the rally of three BNP affiliated organisations on Wednesday, 28 May 2025. Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS
    Thousands gather as BNP's rally in Nayapaltan underway
  • Inflation, exchange rate shocks to intensify fiscal pressure in FY26
    Inflation, exchange rate shocks to intensify fiscal pressure in FY26
  • Representational Image. Freepik
    DSEX drops 62 points, extends losing streak to six days

MOST VIEWED

  • Selim RF Hussain. Sketch: TBS
    BRAC Bank MD Selim RF Hussain resigns
  • Bangladesh Bank Governor Ahsan H Mansur. TBS Sketch
    Depositors need not worry as govt will take over banks before merger: BB governor
  • Graphics: TBS
    Suspicious banking activities surge by 56% since July: Cenbank
  • Photo: Collected
    DU student assaulted for protesting eve-teasing at Chadni Chowk
  • Illustration: TBS
    Bangladesh sees highest-ever per capita income of $2,820 in FY25, BBS provisional data shows
  • Officials protest inside the Secretariat on Tuesday, 27 May 2025, over a government ordinance amending the Public Service Act, 2018. Photo: Rajib Dhar
    Protest at Secretariat suspended as govt assures decision on ordinance tomorrow

Related News

  • Airlines GSA Forum of Bangladesh officially launched
  • Private airlines for urgent reform of aviation regulations
  • Canada keen to invest in Bangladesh's aviation sector
  • Jet fuel price cuts will positively affect air ticket prices: Caab chairman
  • Ensuring accountability improved passenger services at Dhaka airport: Outgoing ED

Features

In recent years, the Gor-e-Shaheed Eidgah has emerged as a strong contender for the crown of the biggest Eid congregation in the country, having hosted 600,000 worshippers in 2017. Photo: TBS

Gor-e-Shaheed Boro Maath: The heart of Dinajpur

1d | Panorama
The Hili Land Port, officially opened in 1997 but with trade roots stretching back to before Partition, has grown into a cornerstone of bilateral commerce.

Dhaka-Delhi tensions ripple across Hili’s markets and livelihoods

2d | Panorama
Photo: Collected

Desk goals: Affordable ways to elevate your study setup

2d | Brands
Built on a diamond-type frame, the Hornet 2.0 is agile but grounded. PHOTO: Asif Chowdhury

Honda Hornet 2.0: Same spirit, upgraded sting

3d | Wheels

More Videos from TBS

Crowds throng BNP’s youth rally

Crowds throng BNP’s youth rally

14m | TBS Today
How Was Interpol’s Most Wanted Subrata Bain Arrested?

How Was Interpol’s Most Wanted Subrata Bain Arrested?

39m | TBS Stories
Google Pay likely coming to Bangladesh soon

Google Pay likely coming to Bangladesh soon

1h | TBS Stories
UCB aims to grow deposits by Tk12,000 crore this year

UCB aims to grow deposits by Tk12,000 crore this year

1h | TBS Programs
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net