Dhaka: Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan on June 30 inaugurated the first-ever electronic gates at Dhaka Airport marking the country’s step into the digital era of travel.

A total of six e-gates were inaugurated at the Immigration of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The Home Minister used his e-passport and went through the immigration process marking the official launch of the e-gates.

The immigration officials have imparted training on operating e-passport gates when the government set the e-gates in 2019.

After that, in 2020, the Prime Minister inaugurated e-passports. And by now, eight lac e-passports have been printed, said the Home Minister in his inaugural speech.

The country’s first ever electronic gates mark its step into the digital era of travel

“Every day we have the capacity to print 20 thousand e-passports. However, due to Covid-19, we are only doing 8-9 thousand currently.”

The immigration process will now be easier for the people, he mentioned, adding that the passengers will not have to wait in queue as the e-gate opens automatically for people the having e-passports.

He claimed, soon, the government is going to start launching e-visas too. CAAB is also looking at a fully automated process from visa to passenger information service. “That’s the era we are heading towards,” mentioned the Home Minister.

Earlier, officials of Passport Immigration said, gradually e-gates will be installed at all airports and land ports across the country. 50 e-gates will be installed in Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chattogram international airports and Benapole and Banglabandha land ports.

At today’s inauguration, Md Mokabbir Hossain, Secretary of the Home Ministry, Mafidur Rahman, CAAB Chairman, Major General Md Ayub Chowdury, DG of Passport Immigration, and Touhid-ul Islam, Director of HSIA were also present, among others.