Commerce minister urges rapid warehouse construction to ease airport cargo handling problems

Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir has called for the rapid construction of temporary and permanent warehouses to address longstanding cargo handling problems at the country's airports.

He said the work should move forward on an urgent basis instead of being delayed by lengthy administrative procedures.

Muktadir made the remarks today (17 August) while chairing an inter-ministerial meeting at the commerce ministry on enhancing airport cargo handling capacity and reviewing progress on warehouse construction to facilitate trade and investment between Bangladesh and the European Union.

Muktadir said although the issue of warehouse construction and infrastructure management does not directly fall under the commerce ministry, he said it is closely linked to the country's trade and export activities, particularly efforts to expand trade with the European Union.

To accelerate the work, Muktadir proposed an inter-ministerial coordination mechanism, with a commerce ministry representative if necessary, to improve coordination among the agencies concerned and speed up implementation.

He also stressed quickly identifying space for temporary warehouses, saying that if space needs to be rented or arranged through other means, decisions should be taken without delay.

The meeting also discussed increasing cargo handling capacity, speeding up cargo clearance and reducing barriers to business, alongside progress on permanent warehouse construction.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam said the use of advanced technology for faster cargo clearance would add a new dimension to the country's aviation sector.

She said efforts were under way to make Biman Bangladesh Airlines safer, more modern and more effective, while resolving longstanding technical and infrastructure problems remained a priority.

Afroza also stressed simplifying formalities while ensuring transparency and accountability.