8 airports in the country will get a new appearance after the completion of huge development of their infrastructures. The government has been spending around Tk 32, 605 crore for the infrastructural development of the airports. The new facilities originated from structural development will be introduced by turns from October 23. For this development works, the quality of services and capacity of the planes will be increased in both domestic and international routes.
Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority, Air vice Marshal Md. Mafidur Rahman told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “The current government had taken huge steps for the development of aviation sector and these projects will contribute a lot for the socio-economic development of the country. The construction work at three international and five domestic airports is going on. 86% construction works of third terminal of Hazrat Shahzalal International Airport has been completed. In addition, the development of Cox’s Bazar Airport, runway and taxiway of Sylhet Airport, increasing the capacity of civil aviation will have to be finished within the last of this year.”
He said, “Making the runways of Rajshahi, Jashore, Syedpur, Cox’s Bazar and Barishal Airports are one of the important projects. If the runways are enlarged, then the planes will take off and land easily. Another terminal building will be constructed in Rajshahi Airport and for this, tender will be called and consultants will be employed. Furthermore, the task of making new terminal building in Sylhet Airport is going on.”
Ongoing development activities include construction of third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, construction of country's longest runway at Cox's Bazar, expansion of six airport runways, increase in cargo handling capacity and development of basic facilities. Mega project like construction of third terminal is progressing at a fast pace. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate this terminal next October. According to Civil Aviation Authority sources, Hazrat Shahjalal Airport currently has two terminals with a passenger capacity of around 70 lakh per year. If the third terminal is built, this number will be close to 2 crore. Inside the building will be the touch of all the world's remarkable and latest technologies.
Metrorail will be connected with the third terminal of the airport. A separate station will also be constructed. The building inside the terminal was designed by renowned architect Rohani Baharin. According to sources related to the project, the cost of this project has been fixed at Tk 21, 399 crores. Out of the total cost, the government will pay Tk 5,258 crore and Japanese company JICA will provide Tk 16,141 crore as loan.
Muhammad Salim, from Chittagong, informed that the country's second largest airport 'Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport' is getting a new dimension due to development works. Passengers have started reaping the benefits of the modernization projects. The airport's revenue has doubled in just one year.
Chittagong Shah Amanat International Airport Director Wing Commander Taslim Ahmed said, "The works of Shah Amanat International Airport's runway and taxiway will be completed in December this year." As the quality of service is improved and modernized, the number of passengers has increased more than any time in the past. As a result, Shah Amanat International Airport earned record revenue of more than Tk 200 crore in last financial year. It is known that the overall progress of the airport's runway overlay project to increase the capacity of Shah Amanat International Airport has reached 95 percent. The project is expected to be completed in December this year at a cost of Tk 540 crore. Projects have been undertaken to upgrade the airport's security system to international standards, including enhancing passenger and cargo security capabilities. Civil Aviation authority has taken the initiative to formulate a master plan to increase the capacity of Shah Amanat International Airport. The project is in the process of implementation including detailed feasibility study, design drawings, cost estimates and masterplan preparation.
Shah Didar Alam Noble, from Sylhet, informed that after the commencement of the work, there was a mistake in the design. And if you work on this wrong design, you will have to demolish the newly built terminal building. Therefore, the work of Sylhet Osmani International Airport expansion mega project stopped. Despite the extension of time, it was not possible to complete the project in three years. Project officials said the project period should be extended by at least two more years to complete the work by revising the design. And if this mega project is implemented, the number of direct flights from Sylhet to different countries of the world will increase. According to sources, the Osmani Airport expansion mega project got government approval on November 7, 2018. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the work of this project through a virtual conference on October 1, 2020. The project expired in May this year. After that, civil aviation authority extended the duration of the project till next December. But only 22 percent of the work has been completed.
Osmani International Airport Expansion Project Director Shah Zulfikar Haider told The Bangladesh Pratidin, “The expansion of Osmani Airport has been delayed due to design flaws. However, the revised design draft has been submitted and its under review. There are some corrections, and then it will be final. Finalization of the design may take up to September. About 22 percent of the project has already been completed. However, the duration of the project will need to be extended by at least two more years.
Cox's Bazar Representative Ayubul Islam said 75 percent of the runway construction work of Cox's Bazar Airport has been completed. Some work remains to be done including lighting. The construction of the domestic terminal is also on the way to the end. If everything goes well, the airport is likely to be officially inaugurated by December this year.
According to the project stakeholders, the runway expansion work of tourist city Cox's Bazar Airport is almost at the final stage. The implementation of this project is costing more than Tk 1, 850 crore rupees. For the first time in the country, a 1,700 feet runway is being constructed on the seabed. The airport has been extended towards the Maheshkhali channel. Above all, the runway length of Cox's Bazar airport will be 10, 700 feet.
The next target will be Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport; Its length is 10 thousand 500 feet. Director of Cox's Bazar Airport Runway Sea Expansion Project, Yunus Bhuiyan said, “The remaining work of the project will be completed by next December. Then day-night domestic and international flights will be possible at this Cox's Bazar International Airport with the largest runway in the country. The entire part of the new runway is on sea water.”
Golam Mortaza, manager of Cox's Bazar Airport, said that when the construction of the new runway on the sea is completed, new generation aircraft from different countries including Myanmar, Thailand, Malaysia will get the opportunity to take off easily.
Syedpur representative Zikrul Haque said that the terminal building of Syedpur Airport is being modernized. The project is nearing completion. After modernization, the passenger capacity of this terminal will increase from 310 to 670. Apart from this, a cargo building with some automation facilities, operation building with apron, taxiway and a control tower will be constructed. Airport manager Suplab Kumar Ghosh said initiatives have been taken to improve the quality of passenger services. If the quality of service increases, the airport will prosper.
The runway of Barisal airport is being upgraded from 6,000 feet to 7, 500 feet at a cost of Tk 370 crores. The width of the runway is being increased from 100 feet to 150 feet. Rajshahi Terminal Building Expansion Project is being implemented at a cost of Tk 76 crore. As a result, the passenger capacity of the airport will increase from 260 to 850. The passenger capacity will be increased from 300 to 600 in Jashore terminal building expansion project. 99 percent of the project works have already been completed. Furthermore, another project has been undertaken at a cost of Tk 566 crore to facilitate the landing and take-off of aircrafts at Jashore and Rajshahi airports.
@The report was published in Bengali on print and online versions of The Bangladesh Pratidin on August 12 and rewritten in English by Lutful Hoque
