OK this is sort of a funny story that became funny because the writers do not understand the basics of how logistics and transport works. In spite of DAC-CTG highway becoming a four lane highway, these guys in Comilla are asking to re-open the airport there. I cannot fathom why....this is kinda similar to "Noakhali Bivag Chai" demand to make Noakhali into a division, while it is a simple district.
For those who do not know the town of Comilla is about 44 miles South of Dhaka.
The best thing would be to convert the grounds to an EPZ since it is right next to Comilla EPZ.
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Due to lack of initiative, Comilla Airport has been closed for 44 years and no one is watching
Today's Comilla.com:
May 11, 2021
Desk Report:
Comilla is in the middle of Dhaka-Chittagong and bordering India. The highest number of expatriates in Bangladesh is in this district. There are about 1.5 million expatriates here. Comilla district also has the highest remittance. The geographically important airport in Comilla district has been closed for the last 44 years (with the exception of two weeks in between).
In 1940, during the Second World War, Comilla Airport was established near Neura-Dhulipara. Until 1966, the airport was used by the army on domestic routes. The port has been open to the public since that year.
Until 198, the aircraft took off and landed at this port. Then it was closed due to passenger crisis. Although the airport was reopened in 1994, the airlines stopped taking off and flew in two weeks due to lack of passengers. Originally domestic flights were operated at this port.
It can be seen on the ground in the area of Comilla Airport that grass has been cultivated in most of the areas of the airport established on 6 acres of land. Besides, there are small ponds in the port land. Gate No. 3 of Comilla EPZ is in Comilla Airport area. It is surrounded by Neura, Dhulipara, Rajapara, Unaisar, Dishaband and Rasulpur areas of Comilla City Corporation.
Roads built for the airport are located in parts of Dhulipara, Rasulpur and Rajapara. The road was opened to the public after the work of picking up and dropping off passengers was stopped.
Authorities at the port said the airport could be operational with just a Tk 30 crore renovation. If it was launched, many more foreign investments would have come to the Comilla EPZ adjacent to the airport and a large number of people would have been employed. A new dimension was added to the economy of Comilla.
The airport now serves international route signaling. Every day 35 to 40 aircraft use this signal. Domestic flights to India operate more frequently. The flight to Agartala Airport runs on this route. There are also flights to Bangkok, Singapore. The airport is earning 30-40 lakh Taka per month for signaling. No more money is needed to open the airport. There is a huge amount of land available.
There is no hassle of buying or acquiring land. Runway carpeting, fire service and air traffic control tower manpower required. At present there are 20 manpower in this airport.
According to the Comilla EPZ traders, if the airport was opened, more foreign investors would come to Comilla EPZ and a large number of people would be employed. It is important to open Comilla Airport for foreign investors.
Meanwhile, the expatriates of Comilla are angry over the closure of passenger transport at Comilla Airport for a long time. Despite having an airport, the people of Comilla have been regularly expressing their anger on Facebook as its activities are incomplete.
Md. Mizanur Rahman, an Oman expatriate, said, 'Coming to a village in Comilla via Dhaka-Chittagong is time consuming and expensive. The number of expatriates in Comilla is more than the rest of the country. Besides, Comilla district is also rich in tourism. We strongly demand to activate the airport in Comilla.
Zafar Ahmed, a Bahraini expatriate, said, “Now is a difficult time for Corona. We expatriates submit samples just two days before they go abroad. After a day the fruit comes. Sometimes I hear the results of the sample come on the day of going abroad. At this time it is difficult to go abroad after collecting the coroner's certificate. If the plane had landed at Comilla port, there would have been no worries.
Comilla Chamber of Commerce President Masood Parvez Khan Imran said, “Now is the time for aviation to increase foreign investment in the EPZ adjacent to the airport. Besides, most of the people of Comilla are living in exile in Bangladesh. There is a demand for aviation on their domestic routes.
Abul Hasnat Babul, former president of Comilla Press Club, said, “Comilla Airport was opened during the Second World War before Dhaka. Comilla has lagged far behind due to the closure of the airport.
Comilla Airport Managing Engineer Abdul Gani said, “Most of the things at the airport are operational. At a cost of Tk 20-25 crore, aircraft can be loaded and unloaded at this port. We have talked in the upper house.
He further said, “At one time, the airlines were reluctant to fly as there were not many passengers in Comilla. Now there are a lot of passengers in Comilla. Next to it is Comilla EPZ. If the port could be reopened, the economy of Comilla would also turn around."
Abdul Gani said, “Former Railway Minister Mujibul Haque, when he was a member of the Standing Committee on the Ministry of Aviation, tried hard to get the airport opened. After that no one else expressed such goodwill. If the politicians of Comilla are sincere about the launch of this port, then I think it will see the light of day.
Former Railway Minister and Comilla-11 MP Mujibul Haque said, “I have spoken for a while to open the airport. Now that the highway is four lanes, the travel time has come down. My guess is that the government is not reopening the port thinking about the time.
