Customs Officials Restricted from Using Mobile Phones

To ensure continuous passenger service at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, customs officials have been instructed to refrain from using their mobile phones, as outlined in an order signed by Joint Commissioner of Dhaka Customs House, Minhaj Uddin, and published on Monday, September 11th.

The order cites disruptions to passenger services and a decline in office discipline at the airport due to excessive mobile phone usage among employees working in various shifts. In an effort to maintain uninterrupted passenger service, officials and employees on different shifts have been advised to utilize official walkie-talkies for communication instead of mobile phones. However, shift and protocol officers (Mike 14) are permitted to use their official mobile phones.

Additionally, in-charge officers and employees may contact the Protocol Officer and Shift In-Charge via official mobile phones only in cases of urgent necessity. This order will take immediate effect in the interest of the public.

Notably, a recent incident resulted in the loss of 55.51 kg of gold from the customs warehouse at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, leading to the formation of a high-level investigation committee consisting of members from the National Board of Revenue (NBR) and Dhaka Custom House. The Detective Bureau (DB) of DMP is currently conducting an investigation into this case, prompting the enforcement of stringent rules regarding mobile phone usage.