The Bar Code system introduced to prevent burglary of imported goods at the cargo complex of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), has been intentionally kept inactive allegedly by some corrupt officials at the air port. Some officials of the state-owned organisation informed, nearly 90 percent of the bar code stickers are not readable at the machine.
Requesting anonymity a Director of Biman said, a corrupt section of officials and employees were allegedly engaged in plundering of goods from the Cargo complex by disabling the bar code system at the airport. By disabling the system, the very vested quarters were stealing valuable goods from luggage and baggage of passengers and from the cargoes.
Due to making of the bar code system ineffective, sometimes a passenger's imported luggage is handed over to another passenger. As a result, the concerned importer face harassment and runs from one agent to another of Biman office to find out their luggage. It is learnt, after being informed of irregularities and corruption in handing cargo at HSIA, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had directed her Chief Secretary Abul Kalam Azad to remove anarchy from the cargo department.
Under his initiative the bar code system was introduced at the airport which ensured transparency in cargo handling and helped to ease the product congestion at the airport. However, a section of corrupt officials were continuously trying to disrupt the introduction of bar code system from the very first day.
According to Biman and Civil Aviation sources, in a meeting held at the secretariate recently, officials from both organisations had informed the concerned minister and the secretary that the bar code system was running successfully and the import terminal was running without facing any hassle.
On the other hand, businessmen complained to Abul Kalam Azad that the barcode system was not fully operational. Following the allegation, a probe committee consisting Biman’s two Assistant Directors of commercial department, Fazlul Haque and Dawan Md Sarafat Ullah was formed. They have already submitted a report to the concerned authority last month.
It is learnt, 28 portable data terminal bar code was purchased from NS Trade Vision at a cost of Tk 49.84 lakh on March 25 last year. During the purchase, a one-year agreement was signed with the provider company to train its cargo staff and another one year to continue its technical support. A total of 27 cargo staff were trained and started to use bar code system from May the same year.
While investigating different warehouses and freight, the investigators wanted to know whether the bar code system was being operated properly but the cargo staff showed a number of reasons why they were unable to use the bar codes. The investigation report showed, 90 percent of bar code stickers were not readable.
Due to such technical problems, location and relocation of goods needed to type again before inputing that at the machine. The report further said, each day typing of location of 400-500 cargo goods was not possible, which has already been informed to concerned officials. While Bangladesh Post tried to contact officials concerned in this connection, they were reluctant to answer.