Weather | Dhaka The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is launching a feasibility study for building a state-of-the-art international airport near Dhaka considering future demand for air transport.
"We have taken steps to carry out a feasibility study for constructing a modern international airport," said Shafique Alam Mehdi, secretary-in-charge of Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, at a press briefing yesterday.
The aviation regulator has primarily formed a committee to carry out the study to chalk out the location, area span and required investments for the airport, said Mehdi.
The press meet was organised at Zia International Airport (ZIA) to share CAAB's present and future development activities in facilitating the growth of the aviation sector.
The study will be conducted targeting the area between Gazipur and Mymensingh districts, he said.
The move to build another airport is so devised as the amenities and look of ZIA, which deals with more than 80 percent of air traffic in Bangladesh, are not impressive enough as a modern airport.
Another reason, continued the secretary-in-charge, is the growing settlements surrounding the airport in the capital.
"However, ZIA will not be abandoned. The airport might be used for carriers operating on short-haul international destinations," he said.
The committee would submit the feasibility report within the next three months. Later an international consultant will design the project, he added.
The new airport will be the fourth international airport in the country besides Chittagong and Sylhet, which mostly remain unused due to inadequate infrastructure.
Of them, Osmani International Airport in Sylhet lacks refuelling facilities, which discourage carriers to operate direct international flights.
"We will take measures to create refuelling facilities at Osmani," said CAAB Chairman Sakeb Iqbal Khan Majlis.
A Tk 302 crore project has also been taken in hand to expand the runway of Cox's Bazar airport. Projects for upgrading ZIA and Barisal airport are also underway, said Mehdi.
He said a feasibility study regarding construction of Khan Jahan Ali Airport is also on.
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Thursday, November 5, 2009 07:21 AM GMT+06:00 (3 weeks ago)
Excellent
Thursday, November 5, 2009 09:02 AM GMT+06:00 (3 weeks ago)
Government could easily improve the airports we already have. just for a fact if only Osmani airport is given the green light for international flights such as popular LONDON 50% of the burden will go away from Zia.
Thursday, November 5, 2009 11:20 AM GMT+06:00 (3 weeks ago)
Government should develop village as well as city. Government should not invest a lot in airport.
Thursday, November 5, 2009 12:08 PM GMT+06:00 (3 weeks ago)
The government needed to move the airport out of the city years ago, just as they have done in Bangkok and KL. This is a good idea, but they also need to develop a train system and big multi-lane motorways to and from it as well.
Thursday, November 5, 2009 12:10 PM GMT+06:00 (3 weeks ago)
The current location of the airport is hampering the development of the city with restrictions on height etc. and building near the airport, it needs to be moved further out for safety and the economy, but as already stated, the transport links should be amazing with police monitoring road rule violators. Our current airport road is very dangerous with buses going from right to left almost killing us.