Modern Border Management Essential for National Security, Says Home Minister

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmad has said a modern, coordinated and technology-based secure border management system plays an essential role in strengthening national security alongside achieving economic growth.

He made the remarks on Wednesday, 4 November, as chief guest at a briefing programme organised by the International Organization for Migration, IOM, in the Meghna Hall of Hotel Pan Pacific Sonargaon in Dhaka. The programme presented IOM's strategic framework on immigration and border governance in Bangladesh for 2027-2031.

The minister said Bangladesh is now more connected with the outside world than at any time before. In this situation, the government is working continuously to build a technology-driven immigration system of international standard, to ease international travel and trade while also addressing cross-border risks.

He said legitimate travel and trade must be made dynamic alongside ensuring national security in border management.

Referring to the government's National Integrated Border Management Strategy 2026-2031 and its five-year strategic reform and development framework 2026-2031, the minister said digital transformation, responsible use of artificial intelligence, paperless administrative work and greater interoperability among government services are the government's main priorities.

Mentioning the important role of the Special Branch of Bangladesh Police in the immigration system, he said the operational capacity of airports, land ports and immigration checkpoints must be increased many times over by combining policy with modern technology.

At the same time, he stressed that border management should not be made technology-dependent alone, but should be raised to professional standards that are sensitive to human rights and protection.

Emphasising inter-ministerial coordination to prevent multinational crime, human trafficking and irregular migration, the home minister said border management is not the responsibility of any single agency. It requires joint efforts by all relevant ministries, departments and law enforcement agencies.

At the programme, he welcomed IOM's proposed strategic framework for 2027-2031 and called on the organisation to continue its support in building an international-standard border structure in Bangladesh. Requesting development partners to increase technical and financial cooperation, he said international investment would not only secure Bangladesh's borders but also contribute greatly to regional stability and safe globalisation.

IOM Bangladesh Chief of Mission Dr Laura Tom Bonde said Bangladesh has already made notable progress in improving immigration and border management capacity. As travel patterns and operational needs change, the need for effective systems, skilled personnel and better coordination among agencies will grow, and IOM is keen to cooperate through technical expertise and partnership.

Additional Secretary Dr Ziauddin Ahmed, Joint Secretary Rebeka Khan, Special Branch Additional Inspector General Md Kamrul Ahsan and Deputy Inspector General Md Moazzem Hossain were present. Canadian High Commissioner Ajit Singh and Italian Ambassador Antonio Alessandro, along with representatives of various partner organisations, also took part.

Discussions covered ways to ease legitimate travel and trade while tackling challenges such as human trafficking, cross-border crime and identity fraud.

The strategic framework identifies four possible areas of cooperation: integrated border management, digital systems and information exchange, institutional and professional capacity building, and infrastructure and service improvement at selected border points. The government's strategic reform and development framework for July 2026 to June 2031 was also taken into consideration in preparing the framework.