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Customs Department of National Board of Revenue (NBR) has re-opened green and red channels at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) aiming to facilitate trade and passenger traffic and improve passenger service.
NBR chairman Mosharraf Hossain Bhuiyan inaugurated the two channels on Thursday.
There was green channel earlier through which both types of passengers passed. But it became inactive about five years ago, the NBR chairman said, adding: "If there is no channel, sometimes our officers even open 30 per cent baggage instead of 10 per cent, much to the harassment of passengers after a hectic travel."
Speaking on the occasion, he said the main objective of installation of green and red channels is to facilitate trade and passenger traffic and reduce harassment of passengers.
The passengers who carry dutiable goods will exit through red channel, he added.
"A minimum of 5-10 per cent baggage of the passengers going through green channel will be scanned. If we find anything suspicious, then only we will open it."
The passengers will fill up forms before disembarkation and tick dutiable goods if there is any, he said.
Regarding increased duty collection from red channel, Mr Mosharraf said it is too early to predict about rise in revenue collection as duty is collected mainly from cargo.
"Our main target of installation of green and red channels is primarily to improve the quality of passenger service and smooth exit of passengers. If we can collect duty properly from cargo, we will not need to collect it from the passengers," he said.
Relating the installation of these two channels with category-1 status, he said Dhaka airport must be self-sufficient, secured and disciplined to operate flights to New York.
Answering questions about a shortage of manpower at customs department at the airport, he said 130 of 3rd and 4th grade employees will be appointed there within a short time. Besides, the process to appoint armed personnel to customs department is underway, he added.