ICAO security audit of Bangladesh begins with national briefing
Dhaka: Bangladesh has held a national briefing ahead of a security audit by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), with the audit scheduled to run from October 26 to November 6.
The briefing was held at the headquarters of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) in the capital on October 26 under the ICAO's Universal Security Audit Programme – Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA).
Air Commodore Md. Asif Iqbal, CAAB member for security, chaired the briefing, which outlined the country's aviation security oversight framework and activities, said the regulatory body in a release.
Bangladesh's national coordinator, Mohammad Alamgir, briefed the ICAO audit team on the country's aviation security oversight system, followed by a briefing from Callum Vine, team leader of the ICAO auditors.
Representatives of the audit team and various agencies and organizations involved in Bangladesh's aviation security operations attended the event.
In his closing remarks, Asif Iqbal sought full cooperation from all relevant agencies and organisations to ensure the smooth conduct of the audit.
He stressed the importance of providing accurate documents and information on time, keeping relevant officials and employees available for interviews and inspections, ensuring the audit team's access to designated airports and facilities, and maintaining close coordination with the national coordinator.
The briefing also underscored the need for stronger coordination among stakeholders and continued joint efforts to improve the country's aviation security system.
Following the briefing, the ICAO audit team met CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq.
The CAAB chairman said the audit was not merely an assessment but an important opportunity to review Bangladesh's national aviation security oversight system against international standards, identify achievements, and determine areas for improvement.
He expressed hope that the audit's observations and recommendations would help make the country's aviation security system more effective and robust.
He also said CAAB was committed to preparing corrective action plans based on the audit findings and observations and implementing them effectively within the stipulated timeframe.
