Beggars openly solicit foreign currency including dollars from passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (Dhaka airport) gates, creating security concerns and damaging Bangladesh’s international image.

Groups of beggars roam arrival and departure terminal areas daily, surrounding exhausted passengers with luggage demanding dollars and foreign currency rather than taka. Expatriates and foreign visitors face this harassment immediately upon setting foot on Bangladeshi soil.

One beggar was recorded demanding, “Give money, give help, give dollars. A little money won’t do. Only dollars will work.” Another told a passenger, “You must give dollars.”

Many passengers express shock and embarrassment witnessing such open begging at airport terminal gates. Incident raises questions about passenger security while tarnishing country’s reputation internationally.

One passenger told media, “Begging at the airport is tarnishing the country’s image, as foreign visitors and tourists see it and draw negative conclusions. Such practices should be stopped.”

When journalists attempted recording begging activities, one female beggar directly obstructed filming and threatened to have them beaten by street toughs outside. “You understand brother, you will see,” she warned menacingly.

Despite brazen begging inside airport premises, no action from duty officers or security personnel was observed. In many cases, officials appeared to deliberately ignore the situation.

One Ansar member claimed beggars are chased away when spotted. “There are rules here, no begging allowed. When I see them, I remove them. If begging happens in front of my eyes, I chase them out,” he said.

Passengers expect effective measures to stop begging at such crucial installations for national security and country’s image.

Executive director of airport Group Captain SM Ragib Samad did not respond to multiple calls seeking comment.