A Supreme Court lawyer has served a legal notice to the government, urging the restoration of the Airport Armed Police Battalion (APBn) to its original role of ensuring security and law enforcement at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The notice demands the withdrawal of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) personnel currently performing these duties within three days.

Advocate Mohammad Siddique Ullah Miah sent the legal notice to several government officials, including the secretaries of the ministries of civil aviation, tourism, home, and finance; chief of air staff; chairman of the civil aviation authority; inspector general of police; executive director of HSIA; and additional inspector general of APBn.

The notice calls for an investigation and appropriate legal action against an allegedly "offensive member" of the BAF involved in an incident with Sayed Uddin, a Norwegian immigrant and foreign remittance fighter, on January 8. Additionally, it highlights the need to prevent smuggling, narcotics trafficking, human trafficking, and to ensure the safe travel of foreign remittance contributors and general passengers at the airport.

Advocate Siddique Ullah Miah warned that if the authorities fail to act within three days, further legal steps will be taken.

The notice said that since the deployment of BAF personnel at HSIA in place of the APBn, reports in both national and international media have highlighted an increase in gold smuggling, narcotics trafficking, and human trafficking. Furthermore, it claims that passengers, including immigrants, have been subjected to mistreatment by BAF personnel.

The notice asserts that the BAF, lacking investigative authority, is unable to effectively identify smugglers or offenders, which has further compromised airport security.

Historically, the airport's APBn has been responsible for security and law enforcement duties at HSIA. Its members are specially trained in airport security, counter-terrorism, passenger screening, and handling security threats. The legal notice emphasises that the APBn is legally mandated and equipped to perform these critical functions at international airports.

Advocate Siddique Ullah Miah argued that restoring the APBn is essential to ensuring the safety and security of HSIA, along with safeguarding the interests of passengers and foreign remittance contributors.