Govt to upgrade Sylhet airport at a cost of Tk 492cr

The government has taken an initiative to increase the capacity of existing runway and taxiway of Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council yesterday in a meeting approved the project of Tk 492 crore.

After the meeting, Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said the prime minister has directed the authorities concerned to take an initiative to modernise the airport and establish it as a regional airport.

Kamal said the airport will be modernised in a way that various aircraft, including wide-bodied Boeing-777 model planes, can land and take off there.

According to the planning ministry proposal, the number of international flights arriving at the Sylhet airport almost doubled to 314 in 2013 compared with that in 2006.

More runways will be added as the condition of the existing runways has deteriorated over the years because of the increasing number of flights.

Yesterday, eight new and revised projects were approved in the Ecnec meeting involving Tk 2,072 crore.

A project was taken up to upgrade Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology at a cost of Tk 320 crore.

Two new departments will be opened in the university to increase the number of departments to 16. Two new research centres will also be established there.

Under the project, a new 10-storey academic building, dormitories for male and female students and a renewable energy park will be set up at the university.

Another project of Tk 265 crore—Sheikh Kamal IT Training and Incubation Centre—was also approved.

Under the project, seven training centres will be set up at Companyganj of Sylhet, the port area in Chittagong, Singara in Natore, Comilla, Mymensingh, Barisal and Magura by 2019.

The training centres will be set up to increase the opportunity for the young people in the ICT sector.