Government to spend Tk 1,193cr for upgrade

The government has taken a project to upgrade Cox's Bazar Airport to facilitate the take-off and landing of large aircraft and thus enhance regional communications through air and help boost the country's tourism industry.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on Tuesday approved the project titled "Development of Cox's Bazar Airport (1st phase)" involving Tk 1,193.32 crore.

Of the total project cost, Tk 801.66 crore will come from the national exchequer while the rest of Tk 391.66 crore from the organisation's own fund.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), under the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry, will implement the project by June 2018.

According to a Planning Commission official, the Cox's Bazar Airport development project witnessed nearly 394 percent cost hike from the original estimate.

The delay in execution has resulted in the unusual hike in the cost of the airport upgradation project and an addition of three and a half years for completing the project, said another official.

The Cox's Bazar airport was established during the World War-II for military use. Now the airport is being used for carrying cargoes and passengers. It is one of the best routes for domestic airlines as thousands of tourists take flights to visit Cox's Bazar.