On Tuesday (Mar 5) afternoon, chairman of safe road movement and film actor Ilias Kanchan, came to the domestic terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal Airport. Going to the Novo Air booking counter, Kanchan said that he is carrying a 9mm pistol and ten rounds of bullets which were not caught in the airport scanning.

However, civil aviation authority, CAAB claims that the actor did not tell them of the weapon before the first scanning and only admitted to carrying a gun when it was detected in the second one.

Later, he was allowed to pass with the gun as per regulations. But anyone carrying a valid gun must declare it at the gate and show valid papers.

The question here is not the failure of Kanchan to declare the weapon but the reported inability of the scanner to detect a weapon.

What will happen if a terrorist enters the airport with a gun?

Reportedly, passengers are body checked when they enter the airport and their bags go under the scanner; later, after boarding pass is issued, bags are screened along with a pat down search.

As per rules, a passenger cannot board a plane with firearms, sharp weapons or even scissors.

Former group captain (retd) MK Zakir Hossain told Bangla Tribune, “If any passenger wants to carry valid weapons then s/he has to submit the weapon to the security personnel. A form by the airline in which that person is travelling will has to be filled. Then airline officials will put the gun, the magazine separately in a box and keep it under the care of the pilot. After the plane journey, security officials will return the gun to the passenger.”

Member of the civil aviation authority, Shah Md Imdadul Huq, said, “As a conscious citizen, Kanchan should have declared the weapon at the entrance of the airport.”

On 24 February last, a person evaded the security scanner and tried to hijack a plane but the situation was successfully tackled with help of law enforcers.