Saidpur Airport wall lies broken for five months

Security at Saidpur Airport in the district remains vulnerable as a good portion of its east wall that collapsed during flood in August last year is yet to be repaired.

The airport, the lone active one in Rangpur division, sees operation of a total of seven pairs of arrival and departure flights by Bangladesh Biman and three private companies.

“On August 12 last year, violent onrush of floodwater from the Kharkaria river beside the airport caused collapse of about 80 feet portion of its east boundary wall,” local union parishad member Rafiqul Islam said during this correspondent's visit to the site at Baraishal village in Bangalipur union under Saidpur upazila on Monday.

Curious people often enter the restricted place through the damaged portion of the wall to see flight operations while domestic animals find ways for grazing there, said Mantaj Ali, 60, a resident of the village.

The airport authorities erected a fence of corrugate iron sheets, but a portion of it broke down within a few days, making the area open as before.

Government-owned Bangladesh Biman and privately run US-Bangla Airways, Novo Air, Regent Airline operate seven pairs of arrival and departure operations from here daily, said Shahin Alam, manager of Saidpur Airport.

Over one thousand passengers make air journey through this airport daily as foreigners and high officials of different factories in Uttara EPZ, Baropukuria coal mine, Madhyapara hard rock mine, delegates of international NGOs and government officials prefer it for convenient and time-saving journey to and from a few northern districts, he said.

Mizanur Rahman, managing director of a local construction firm in Nilphamari, who goes to Dhaka every week for official purpose, said, “We feel scared while making air journey as at time of landing and departure aircrafts fly too low beside the broken boundary wall when naughty boys can throw stones.”

The government should take urgent steps to ensure security at this busy airport on a priority basis, especially in view of the possibility of subversive activities by extremist groups, said Shafiqul Alam, former president of Nilphamari Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

Airport Manager Shahin Alam, however, claimed that law enforcers always keep watchful eyes on the broken portion of the wall to ensure security.

Re-construction work of the broken wall will start within one or two days as tender process has been completed, he said.