Govt to overhaul civil aviation rules after 42 years: Minister

The government is set to overhaul the country’s civil aviation rules for the first time in 42 years, seeking to ease investment, aircraft financing and leasing, and maintenance operations in the sector, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said today.

“The government is taking all possible steps to increase investment in the civil aviation sector. So, the new rules must be business- and investment-friendly,” he said while speaking at a meeting to finalise the draft Civil Aviation Rules, 2026, which will replace the existing 1984 rules.

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The minister said provisions would also be incorporated to improve passenger services and ensure safety and security in civil aviation.

Addressing representatives of airlines, Millat described them as the sector’s main stakeholders and called for their active participation in framing the new rules to facilitate investment.

He said the government would revise provisions relating to aircraft maintenance, taking into account the needs of private airlines. Steps would also be taken to address complications involving the maintenance, repair and overhaul of complex aircraft components.

The government also plans to incorporate provisions on Irrevocable Deregistration and Export Request Authorisation (IDERA) in accordance with the Cape Town Convention to protect rights linked to international financing and leasing of aircraft-related assets.

Millat said an international-standard Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) unit was also being planned to facilitate maintenance of aircraft operated by domestic and foreign airlines.

He said the government hoped the initiative, with cooperation from stakeholders, would help achieve its goal of developing an aviation hub.

The minister said necessary steps would also be taken to simplify the process of establishing and expanding civil airports through private initiatives.

On airport safety, he directed the authorities to organise inspection drills every three months to ensure fire safety of airport physical infrastructure.

During the meeting, US-Bangla Airlines Managing Director Md Abdullah Al Mamun presented several proposals on behalf of private airlines.

The proposed provisions of the new rules were also discussed in detail.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Fahmida Akhtar, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director Kaiser Sohel Ahmed, Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation Chairman Md Shamimuzzaman, US-Bangla Airlines Managing Director Md Abdullah Al Mamun, and other government and private-sector stakeholders attended the meeting.