The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and airline officials have clarified that alleged missing items from the baggage of out-pass returnees arriving from Saudi Arabia stem from consolidation and handling procedures abroad, not from airport staff or airline misconduct in Dhaka.

A CAAB media note released on Friday states that 78 Bangladeshi nationals were repatriated by Saudi immigration officials via Addis Ababa and then flew on Ethiopian Airlines to Dhaka on November 14.

After completing immigration and official procedures at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the passengers collected their baggage from Arrival Belt No. 1, where they found several bags cut open with contents missing, leading to a confrontation with airline staff.

CAAB said the affected passengers had been detained in Saudi Arabia for various reasons, and their belongings were handled under Saudi immigration arrangements.

Airline officials informed CAAB that similar incidents have occurred previously. They said the baggage of out-pass individuals is typically consolidated into a bulk consignment at an average of 15 kg per person, making it impossible to verify which items belong to which individual.

They added that Saudi immigration police often confiscate passengers’ belongings during processing, but no inventory lists of the seized items are provided to the airline. 

Such factors, they noted, result in confusion and allegations when the consolidated baggage reaches Dhaka.

CAAB further stated that with Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s baggage-handling areas now under comprehensive CCTV surveillance, incidents of baggage theft among arriving passengers have significantly decreased. 

However, the regulator noted that out-pass passengers are typically the target of theft-related complaints. 

According to CAAB, the missing items seem to have been taken while the passengers were still in Saudi Arabia, most likely by a person or organization that handled their belongings there.