Dhaka: The government on Sunday formed a high-level seven-member steering committee to tighten security measures at Hazrat Shahjala International Airport (HISA) as per guideline of the British government so that the UK can withdraw its ban on direct cargo flight from Dhaka.

The committee will be headed by Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon, it was decided at a high level meeting between the Bangladesh government and an UK delegation at Prime Minister’s Office here this afternoon, an official handout said.

British High Commissioner to Bangladesh Alison Blake led the UK seven-member delegation while Menon led the Bangladesh side. The UK delegation presented an observation with short-term, med-term and long-term security measures to Bangladesh government for upgrading security measure of the HSIA.

As per their suggestion, the Bangladesh side has decided to form the steering committee. The committee will hold a review meeting with the UK delegation on March 20.

During the meeting, Menon informed the UK delegation that the Bangladesh government has taken all-out efforts to upgrade security measures of cargo complex of HSIA to help the UK government to withdraw its temporary ban on direct cargo flight from Dhaka.

Prime Minister’s Security Affairs Adviser Major General (retd) Tarique Ahmed Siddique, Senior Secretary to Home Ministry Dr Mozammel Haque Khan, Foreign Secretary Shahidul Haque, Secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Suraiya Begum and Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Khorshed Alam Chowdhury attended the meeting, among others.

On March 9, the UK government took decision that they won’t allow cargo on direct flights from Dhaka to the UK until further notice.

After that the Menon decided to do office for sometimes everyday till March 31 at HISA to expedite the ongoing implementation of Bangladesh-UK joint work plan to tighten airport security.