Bangladesh inaugurates state‑of‑the‑art airspace surveillance system

Bangladesh has inaugurated a state-of-the-art radar and navigation system Air Traffic Management Centre (ATMC) at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka.

The facility, manufactured and installed by French company Thales, ensures every flight entering Bangladesh’s airspace will be tracked, significantly enhancing safety and operational efficiency.

The project, planned in 2019 and completed in December 2025 at a cost of Tk 942 crore, was inaugurated today by Civil Aviation Minister Afroza Khanam, State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, and CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq.

Air Commodore Noor‑e‑Alam, member (ATM) of CAAB, said the ATMC will operate 24/7 to ensure safe landings, takeoffs, and reliable airspace management.

Talking to The Daily Star, he said, the air traffic control system used before was about 40 years old, and the previous radar was also about 35 years old.

He noted that the new system can monitor flights up to 350 NM (650km) from Dhaka, with integrated coverage from Chattogram radar, and communicate with flights over the Bay of Bengal up to 450 NM (833km).

“Since our Chattagram radar is now integrated with the system, we will be able to communicate with flights in the Bay of Bengal up to a distance of 450 NM or 833km,” he said.

He emphasised that the digital solution eliminates complications in traffic management, increases capacity to accommodate more flights, and opens opportunities to collect “flying over charges” from international airlines -- revenues previously lost due to outdated technology.

Minister Afroza Khanam was proud of the new system as she said it would elevate Bangladesh’s airspace capacity to global benchmarks, reaffirming the government’s commitment to transforming HSIA into a regional aviation hub.

State Minister Millat described the installation as the beginning of a technology‑driven era for airspace management.

French Ambassador Jean‑Marc Séré‑Charlet and Thales Vice President Nicolas Bouverot attended the event, calling the collaboration a symbol of mutual trust and friendship between Bangladesh and France.