The government has decided to reduce passport fees for expatriate workers, Home Affairs Adviser Lt Gen (Retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said on Monday.

Expatriates are the lifeblood of our economy. Considering their contribution, we have decided to rationalize and lower passport fees for migrant workers,” he told reporters following a meeting of the Core Committee on Law and Order at the Ministry of Home Affairs in the Secretariat.

The adviser said most expatriates prefer flying with Biman Bangladesh Airlines as they are comfortable with the language and cuisine on board.

We are working to enhance the quality of Biman’s service for them,” he added.

Jahangir Alam also said the government is taking steps to expedite the launch of e-gates at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to ensure faster immigration services.

We are trying to operationalize the e-gates within this week. Passengers with e-passports will be able to use them directly,” he said.

He further announced that e-passport services will be introduced in all Bangladesh missions abroad by December this year.

Responding to a question about the recent fire at the cargo village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the adviser said a high-level committee, headed by the Home Secretary, has been formed to investigate the incident.

The committee will determine the cause of the fire and make recommendations for necessary action,” he added.

When asked about potential challenges ahead of the upcoming national election, Jahangir said, “There is no uncertainty regarding the election, though challenges do exist. To address them, we have arranged specialized training for law enforcement agencies — something that has never been done before.”

He added that efforts are underway to keep personnel who were previously involved in the last three parliamentary elections away from key election duties this time.