Airfreight operations out of Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) are facing delays as three out of the airport’s four RA3 scanners are now non-operational.
Contacts in Dhaka confirmed that Explosive Detection System (EDS) scanner three developed technical faults in March, joining EDS two and EDS four on the sidelines.
EDS two has been out of service for several years, while EDS four stopped working in September 2024.
The remaining scanner is largely used for cargo destined for the UK and the European Union, which require cargo to be scanned to RA3 security standards.
“This has significantly reduced the airport’s screening capacity and created concern among exporters, freight forwarders, and airlines,” Nurul Amin of Tower Freight Logistics told Air Cargo News.
“All EU-bound cargo must pass through the single functioning scanner, resulting in long queues and slower processing. Delayed screening increases the risk of shipments missing booked flights.”
Freight forwarders are facing airline roll-over charges, warehouse storage charges, truck detention and potential claims from overseas buyers.
Airport authorities have put extra canine screening in place to help manage the situation, but there are concerns that backlogs will worsen as the industry heads towards the peak season.
There are also eight other dual-view scanning machines available that aren’t used for EU RA3 operations that could potentially be utilised if cargo volumes increase.
The current cargo volume is manageable because export demand is relatively low, contacts said, but during the peak garment export season, the situation could become critical.
And there are also mini-peaks to contend with. For instance, volumes could also ramp up in the coming weeks, as factories try to move goods ahead of festival holidays in Bangladesh.
Leaders from the Bangladesh freight forwarding and export community have urged the government and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to repair the scanners as soon as possible.
They are worried that the delays could affect Bangladesh’s reputation as a sourcing destination.
The representatives believe that at least two or three scanners are normally needed to maintain smooth export operations.
Last year, import operations at the airport were hit by a fire just ahead of the busy Christmas export season.
[reamore id=28632]
