Thefts Continue at Shah Amanat Despite 635 Security Staff: Transformers and Cables Taken in at Least 11 Incidents Since August

Thefts keep occurring one after another at Chattogram's Shah Amanat International Airport even though 635 security personnel are deployed there under four units. Cables installed for lampposts ahead of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's Chattogram visit were stolen the very night they were laid. Airport sources say at least 11 incidents of theft of transformers, electric cables and runway lighting equipment have occurred at the airport since last August.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman came to Chattogram on October 20 to inspect puja mandaps. To make 61 lampposts functional for his arrival, cable installation work went on throughout the day on October 19. But the cables were stolen that same night, so the lamppost cables disappeared before the prime minister's visit.

Airport sources say that on the night of October 19, about 500 feet of underground electric cable was stolen from the road running from the Japanese Gate, the main entrance to the airport's residential area, towards the Very High Frequency Omni-Directional Range (VOR) navigation installation. The estimated value of the wire, buried about three feet underground, is Tk 200,000.

The VOR is an important part of the airport's navigation system; signals sent from it help aircraft determine direction and provide guidance during takeoff and landing. In the latest incident, however, it was not the VOR equipment itself but the wire supplying power to road lights near it that was stolen. The Bangladesh Navy and BGB helicopter hangar is located close to the theft site, which has also raised concern about the security of that area.

The series of thefts began last August. Airport sources said that on August 21, a transformer and primary and secondary cable kits were stolen from the runway 05 end; in the same incident, thieves also took underground wire, runway lights, light bases and looping cables. Then on September 2, about half a kilometre of security-light wire was stolen from the western boundary of the cargo warehouse towards the runway 05 end, leaving about a kilometre of that area in darkness. Electrical equipment in the VOR navigation area was also stolen that night, disrupting lighting there as well.

Thefts continued through September at the runway 23 end. On September 8, two approach-light transformers and primary and secondary cable kits were stolen from there; on September 10, three more transformers and related wire; and on September 13, six transformers and various cable kits near the boat club at the 23 end. Then on September 28, five transformers and wire from the same area, on October 6 five more transformers and related wire, and on the night of October 10, three more transformers and wire were stolen.

The contractor working on the runway development project, Mir Akhtar-CAMCE Joint Venture, also reported theft in a letter. In a letter sent to the airport's project director on October 5, the firm said that at about 10:30 pm on October 4 they learned that circuit-2 of the Simple Approach Lighting System (SALS) was not working. On inspection, five series transformers, 25 metres of secondary cable with kits, three metres of exposed copper wire and 30 metres of body-earthing material were found missing from the SALS-07 section.

The contractor said that after the matter was reported to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the necessary maintenance work was completed.

On the repeated thefts, Shah Amanat Airport security officer Badsha Md Faisal acknowledged the thefts and said, 'We are active in catching the thieves. One thief has already been caught and a case has been filed against him.' But he declined to comment on why the thefts are not stopping despite so many security personnel, and asked that the public relations department be contacted instead. He claimed the areas where the thefts are occurring are comparatively less important areas.

On the matter, CAAB Member (Security) Air Commodore Asif Iqbal said 60 more Ansar members will be provided for security at Chattogram airport.