CAAB holds 2nd CATRAC meeting to boost aviation security
Dhaka: The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) held the second meeting of the Civil Aviation Threat and Risk Assessment Committee (CATRAC) on August 20 at its headquarters, aiming to strengthen threat assessment, intelligence sharing, and inter-agency coordination in the country's aviation sector.
Air Vice Marshal Md. Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq, Chairman of both CATRAC and CAAB, chaired the session. Officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, CAAB, the Bangladesh Air Force's Air Intelligence Unit, Armed Police Battalion, Customs Intelligence and Investigation Directorate, National Security Intelligence, Directorate General of Forces Intelligence, and Special Branch of Bangladesh Police attended.
In his opening remarks, Siddiq said the global civil aviation sector currently faces layered security threats, including terrorism, cyberattacks, insider threats, improvised explosive devices, and drone incursions, stressing that only coordinated action among agencies can effectively counter them.
He noted that CATRAC conducts regular risk assessments in line with ICAO Annex 17. The Civil Aviation Risk Context Statement (CARCS) has already been finalized, and intelligence-sharing procedures have been clearly outlined, both seen as key steps ahead of the upcoming ICAO Universal Security Audit Programme-Continuous Monitoring Approach (USAP-CMA) audit.
Participants reviewed progress on decisions from the first CATRAC meeting and discussed emerging security risks, with a strong focus on airport cybersecurity. CAAB presented steps taken against phishing, password theft, unauthorized system access, and breaches of passenger and flight data.
The meeting heard that cybersecurity provisions have been folded into the National Civil Aviation Security Programme (NCASP) and the Aviation Security Training Programme (ATSP), alongside efforts to issue dedicated Civil Aviation Cybersecurity Directives.
CAAB has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Government Computer Incident Response Team (e-Gov CIRT) under the Bangladesh Computer Council (BCC) to carry out cybersecurity audits.
The country's airports have been designated as Critical Information Infrastructure (CII), with CAAB receiving ongoing guidance from the National Cyber Security Agency. Intelligence agencies were also instructed to prepare a Higher-Risk Designation List to help determine when aircraft searches are warranted.
Members further discussed measures to address evolving threats, ensure timely intelligence flow, reinforce risk management, and deepen coordination among agencies.
Closing the session, the CAAB Chairman said sustained cooperation among all agencies remains essential to carrying out the meeting's decisions, adding that better information sharing and coordination would continue to strengthen the country's aviation security framework.
CAAB Member (Security) Air Commodore Md. Asif Iqbal also spoke at the meeting, underlining the role of threat and risk assessment in aviation security. He said sound risk evaluation, timely information sharing, and joint action among agencies would be critical to a successful outcome in the upcoming ICAO audit.
The chairman thanked committee members for their participation and input before formally closing the meeting. The next CATRAC meeting is tentatively planned for the first week of February 2027.
