Irregularities surface in Shahjalal Airport’s ‘lost-and-found’ department, official fined

A mobile court has fined Mohammad Iftekhar Hossain, the department’s duty supervising officer, Tk 50,000 after investigations prompted by a passenger’s complaint revealed negligence. Shahjalal International Airport lost and found

It was found that officials of other departments use the storeroom for lost-and-found luggage, as its key is not kept in a safe place.

It is suspected that this laxity helps theft of luggage kept in the room.

Executive Magistrate Muhammad Yusuf said he ordered the authorities to ensure proper service and to take step against those responsible for the ‘mismanagement’ in the ‘sensitive’ department.

He said he fined Iftekhar because he did not inform his superiors about the irregularities. “He did not even inform anyone about who took charge of the store from whom during shift changes.”

The magistrate said Iqbal Hossain, passenger of an Emirates Airlines flight, arrived in Dhaka from Dubai on Tuesday morning but could not find his luggage at the collection area. click for Emirates Airlines lost and found also click for Emirates Airlines lost property

When he informed Emirates, the airlines said the luggage would arrive in the evening and he would be able to collect it from the lost-and-found department.

He went to the department at 6pm but was told by officials that the storeroom had closed for the day.

The department is supposed to be open from 6am to 10pm every day.

Iqbal then complained to the magistrate and got his luggage back.

Magistrate Yusuf said the department officials were taking money for two shifts while following the previous 9am-5pmrota.

Other security officials use the storeroom when those in-charge leave in the afternoon.

The magistrate suspected them to be involved in stealing valuables from luggage kept in the room.

“If they are not involved, then how are valuables stolen?” asked the magistrate.