Passengers who have e-passports can now use e-gates and complete their immigration within a short time at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

After inauguration of the e-gates yesterday, passengers went through those, and one could finish the immigration process in around 18 seconds, said Group Captain Kamrul Islam, executive director of the HSIA.

Monirul Islam, additional IGP, Special Branch, and Brig Gen Sadat, project director, e-passport project, were present at the inaugural event.

With the launching of the e-gates, long wait of e-passport holders to finish their immigration formalities has come to an end.

Twelve e-gates have been installed in the departure area and three in the arrival area.

On June 6, the immigration process was successfully completed through e-gate on a pilot basis.

Apart from HSIA, six e-gates each have been set up at Shah Amanat International Airport and Osmani International Airport. But those are yet to be operational.

The government has planned to set up 50 e-gates at all the airports and land ports across the country under the "E-Passport and Automated Border Control Management Project".

Mokabbir Hossain, secretary of Security Services Division under the home ministry, recently told The Daily Star that outbound and inbound passengers could zip through immigration formalities at the country's main gateway via the automated border control system.

"Passengers don't need to stand in queues for long, as the e-gates will open automatically for the people with e-passports."

Bangladesh is the first country in South Asia to launch e-gate for e-passports.

The camera attached to the e-gate will identify the passenger automatically after analysing information with the e-passport chip. The process ensures high security during the verification of travel documents.

The government launched the e-passport programme and automated border control management in January 2020, aiming to make the immigration process easier and enhance the acceptability of Bangladeshi passports abroad.

In June 2019, e-gates were set up at the HSIA as part of the government's move to launch e-passport. The immigration officials were imparted training on operating the e-gates.