Govt to Make Old Small Airports Operational

[eastwatch]

Govt to make small airports operational

Saturday, September 15, 2012
Govt to make small airports operational
Shariful Islam

The government is planning to make some of the country's unused airports operational to encourage local airlines in operation in rural areas.

Alongside the move, it is also mulling to resume construction of Khan Jahan Ali Airport in Bagerhat. The construction has remained stalled since 1996.

The civil aviation ministry was analysing the Tk 464-crore construction project for the go-ahead form the Executive Committee on National Economic Council, said civil aviation ministry officials.

Meanwhile, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) had started assessing the infrastructural and safety features of six small airports upon directives from the civil aviation ministry, said the ministry officials.

Caab officials said the Barisal, Ishwardi, Comilla, Shamshernagar in Moulvibazar, Lalmonirhat and Thakurgaon airports might be selected for Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) aircraft.

According to the Caab website, Shamshernagar and Comilla are STOLports.

Faruk Khan, civil aviation and tourism minister, recently told The Daily Star that he was expecting the Caab report to land within a short time, as the decision of making unused airports operational depended on it.

He said he had already asked national flag carrier Biman and private operators United Airways Bangladesh Ltd and Regent Airways to procure 15 to 20-seater STOL aircraft. Initially, the operators would not be charged for anything, such as landing and parking, he added.

“They will be charged from when they expand their business and earn more revenue,” he said.

Imran Asif, chief executive officer at Regent Airways, said it would not be viable for them to operate flights to those domestic destinations until they started international operation.

He said they were expecting to get Caab clearance for international operation by September this year.

KHAN JAHAN ALI AIRPORT
The Bangladesh Institute of Management (BIM) had been asked to figure out the benefits if the airport was constructed, said a Caab engineer.

Minister Faruk Khan said tourism and commerce in the area would get a huge boost if the airport was built, as the Sundarbans and Mongla Sea Port are located nearby.

Sources said the construction of Khan Jahan Ali Airport had started during the Awami League government's 1996-2001 tenure. The government acquired 95 acres of land at Faila in Rampal in 1996 for the project. That very year, the Bagerhat district administration handed over the land to Caab.

In 1997, the authorities started filling the land. During the time Tk 24 crore was disbursed.

But the successive BNP-led government planned to construct a medium-size airport there. The project cost was estimated at Tk 83 crore prompting the authorities concerned to acquire more land. An additional Tk 10 crore was used for the earth-filling, but from 2006 till date the works remain suspended.

 

[problemfreeleader]

pakistani all airports bad condition looks like you are in garbage drum when u come from international airports.

 

[shiv]

looks like rawamy league is working for the country's infrastructure afterall.

 

[Major Shaheb]

looks like rawamy league is working for the country's infrastructure afterall.

Looks like BAL got more projects to get richer. They have eaten up a lot and Share Market, Padma Bridge, Sonali Bank are a few, but looks like they are after old Airports now...

 

[gslv mk3]

pakistani all airports bad condition looks like you are in garbage drum when u come from international airports.

you sure buddy?some of your compatriots wont agree....

India has now modern glass and steel airports for almost all cities now...

but well condition is not getting better due to government mentality


All the best for BD

 

[eastwatch]

In total there are more than 25 airports in Bangladesh. Many are not being used at present and remain idle since 2nd WW. Some are used by the airforce. Some are again used temporarily when a cyclone strikes. I think, since the country is accumulating wealth and the middle class is rising it is obvious that many of them will opt for a short air travel instead of travelling via a dangerous pot-hole road wasting a full day. Govt. is perhaps watching the response from the airline companies as well as the would-be passengers.

 

[PlanetSoldier]

Rural people will be benifited...they can take-off take-down their Nosimon, Korimon on the runways which are driven by daredevil pilots . Irresistible stupid BAL govt. can't help proving them a good for nothing one after one.

 

[Md Akmal]

In total there are more than 25 airports in Bangladesh. Many are not being used at present and remain idle since 2nd WW. Some are used by the airforce. Some are again used temporarily when a cyclone strikes. I think, since the country is accumulating wealth and the middle class is rising it is obvious that many of them will opt for a short air travel instead of travelling via a dangerous pot-hole road wasting a full day. Govt. is perhaps watching the response from the airline companies as well as the would-be passengers.

@ Many people , many Govt had watched these airports since 2nd World War. In 1970, I had a change to travel from Dacca to Irshordi and to Thakurgaon. After Bangladesh, I travelled Dacca to Chittagaon, Jessore, Saidpur and Sylhet.

@ What I feel Govt is planning to re-start the abundoned airports of Bagerhat, Lalmonirhat, Shamshernagar, Barisal, Ishardi. Comilla and Thakurgaon.

@@ Bagerhat. Who will visit at Bagerhat ? Only to see "Shatgombhush" mosque and Sunderban ? What more facility we have there ?

@@ Lalmonirhat. O ! what a fun ? This airport was made operational in 1958 during Pakistan times but due to shortage of pessengers it was stopped in 1968. Than it remained abundoned. After Bangladesh got independence it was handed over to BAF. Now I heard they have made one Diary Firm and agricultural firm.

@@ Shamshernagar. Presently BAF is using it. It is too close to Indian border. Moreso, Moulvi Bazar is too far from here.

@ @ Barisal. Well it is fesible.

@@ Ishardi. Since Pakistan's time it was operational but after Bangladesh got independance due to shortage of passenger it was closed and a new airport was built at Rajshahi. If it is once again made operational then what will happen to Rajshahi ? I remember in BNP's time they made one airport at Bogra but still it is not operational ????

@@ Comilla. It was not even operational during Pakistan's times. However, for military purpose it was made operational during Liberation war period.


@@ Thakurgaon. It was made operational during Pakistan's times. After independence due to shortage of passenger it was stopped and a new airport was made at Saidpur. Basically it was made during the liberation times by the Pakistani army. I have seen the Thakurgaon airport, nothing is left all gone even the bricks ! Local people are now cultivating rice and other seasonal crops.

So, it is nothing, it is the AL only want's to make some money for the next election ???????

 

[eastwatch]

Every political party in Bangladesh is full of thieves, except perhaps Jamaat. So, why to blame AL only? It was BNP thieveries and mismanagement of everything in the country that voted it out of power. The next election will be same, AL will be out of power for the same or more reasons as are attributed to BNP.

However, stealing money should not be considered as the sole reason for reconstructing the airports. People are here predicting no one will go to this and that airport because it is not a tourist destination. Every possibility must be checked out to give air travel service facility to those who can afford it. Usually, people travel from one point to the other for out of necessity, and it is not true that only tourists take a flight.

Local moderately rich people who want to go out of town to reach Dhaka or Chittagong may take a flight if he can afford it. I mean, if it is not places like Cox's bazaar, Bandrban and Kuakata only local people will be using a local airport. But, I think the govt should study more about the necessity of building each of these proposed airports so that only the needed airports are given preference over others and priorities are set in that order.

Public money should not be wasted on unnecessary funs and airport buildings should not be used as a money-making factories for the incumbet cronies of AL. However, AL is set to do exactly the same.

 

[SHAMK9]

you sure buddy?some of your compatriots wont agree....

India has now modern glass and steel airports for almost all cities now...

but well condition is not getting better due to government mentality


All the best for BD

I agree, all of them look $hit, Lahore airport is easily the best looking though, karachi desperately needs a new airport.

 

[eastwatch]

I agree, all of them look $hit, Lahore airport is easily the best looking though, karachi desperately needs a new airport.

This thread is not about a beautification contest among the airports. It deals with the reinstating some of the unused, leased (to airforce) or underused civilian airports of Bangladesh. A country like BD cannot afford to compete with many beautiful airports of other two countries of S. asia. What we need is to make all the existing airports functional and passenger friendly. Beautification will come at a later stage when our GDP rises to, say, $300 billion someday. How far is it? May be twenty odd years or so! It is not very far then.

 

[shiv]

Looks like BAL got more projects to get richer. They have eaten up a lot and Share Market, Padma Bridge, Sonali Bank are a few, but looks like they are after old Airports now...

still in 70s thinking mode ..GOOD LUCK !!