Cox’s Bazar airport to go fully international in ‘a few months’

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam told Parliament today that it will take a few more months to fully upgrade Cox’s Bazar Airport to an international facility.

Replying to a question from opposition MP Shahjahan Chowdhury, she said talks are ongoing with various airlines to launch international flights from Cox's Bazar.

She said the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) has certified the airport after verifying compliance with international standards. To enable international operations, the runway has been extended from 9,000 feet to 10,700 feet, and a new international terminal building on 17,955 square metres has been constructed. Testing and commissioning work is currently underway.

Responding to another question, the minister said Biman Bangladesh Airlines also provides ground-handling services to domestic and foreign carriers and is currently profitable. However, she noted that the airline faces a shortage of aircraft, which needs to be addressed to improve profitability and operations.

She said efforts are underway to add new aircraft while phasing out older ones, with some aircraft being leased in the meantime. Measures have also been taken to improve service quality, including closer monitoring of staff conduct and the introduction of online ticketing to reduce passenger harassment.

She added that Biman has achieved around 80 percent on-time performance for both domestic and international flights.

The minister also said three Dash 8-400 aircraft were added between November 2020 and February 2021 under an agreement with Canada, while two Boeing 787-9 aircraft were acquired from the United States in December 2019. She said Biman has no information regarding irregularities or corruption in those purchases.

Replying to another question, she said proposals are under consideration to launch domestic flights from Bogura, Lalmonirhat and Thakurgaon airports. Feasibility studies are also being conducted for their development, while a detailed study will be required before building an international airport in Noakhali, she added.