CAAB extends MoU with UAE to implement APIS

Dhaka : Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh on January 29 extended a Memorandum of Understanding with United Arab Emirates government for setting up Advance Passenger Information System to detect unauthorised travel and fraudulent documents. 'We have extended the MoU for six months,' said Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, Chairman, CAAB, who signed the agreement on behalf of the Bangladesh government, with BS Nath, Executive Director of Emirates Technologies Solutions, also known as Etek, on behalf of the UAE government. CAAB completed its technical evaluation since the MoU was signed December 28, 2022, for one year, said reports.

According to the United States Customs and Border Protection authorities, APIS enhances border security by providing officers with pre-arrival and departure manifest data on all passengers and crew members.

As per reports, APIS will be managed mainly by the immigration police under the Special Branch, then the Customs authorities, and Department of Immigration and Passports for border management. The passenger's data would be shared with Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre, Rapid Action Battalion, and Tourism Board, among others. Reports cited officials saying, “Now, there is no central integration of the no-fly-list or black-list of any foreigner. With the system, it will be easily identified.”

CAAB currently was examining the financial evaluation of an offer proposed by the Emirates Technology Solutions. Emirates Technologies Solutions-a company wholly owned by the UAE government and supported by multinational company SITA-will be responsible for installation, operation and maintenance, according to the offer. In October 2022, another memorandum of understanding was signed between Bangladesh and the UAE in Dhaka in a bid to implement 'e-Visa/e/-TA' system on the basis of 'G2G', the government to government contact, added reports.