Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam today said the government plans to use advanced technology, including artificial intelligence (AI), to accelerate airport cargo clearance and modernise the country’s aviation sector.

“We want to be a leader, rather than a follower, in the use of technology. Therefore, the use of advanced technology for faster clearance of cargo will add a new dimension to the country’s aviation sector,” she said.

The minister made the remarks at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Ministry of Commerce on constructing permanent and temporary warehouses to address cargo-handling problems at airports.

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir chaired the meeting, said an official press release here.

Afroza said concerted efforts are underway to transform Biman Bangladesh Airlines into a safer, more modern and efficient organisation, with priority being given to resolving longstanding technical and infrastructural problems.

She stressed simplifying necessary formalities and swiftly implementing decisions while ensuring transparency and accountability.

The minister also urged the relevant agencies to work together to expedite construction of permanent and temporary warehouses to increase cargo-handling capacity.

The meeting discussed seven potential sites for constructing a temporary warehouse and four potential locations for a permanent warehouse to ease existing cargo-handling constraints.

It also discussed developing an AI-based model to help locate imported goods quickly, establishing cold-storage infrastructure to accelerate the import and export of pharmaceutical products, and preparing ground-handling guidelines.

Measures to ensure that cargo arrival notices reach importers as quickly as possible were also discussed.

Commerce Minister Khandaker Abdul Muktadir said responsibility for developing and managing airport infrastructure rests with the relevant authorities, while Customs is responsible for ensuring the legality of imported and exported goods, necessary declarations and documentation, and duty-related matters.

He said construction of warehouses and infrastructure management are not the primary responsibilities of Customs.

“If the necessary infrastructure is provided, Customs will carry out its activities there,” he said, stressing the need for speedy solutions to infrastructural bottlenecks to enhance cargo-handling capacity.

The commerce minister said although the matter does not directly fall under his ministry, efficient airport cargo management is closely linked to the country’s trade and export activities.

He particularly underscored the importance of modern cargo-management facilities for expanding Bangladesh’s trade with the European Union and assured necessary cooperation from the Commerce Ministry.

Commerce Secretary Md Ataur Rahman, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akhtar, ndc, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman and senior officials from the National Board of Revenue, Bangladesh Bank and relevant ministries attended the meeting.