Maritime runway to be launched before national polls

The construction of the country’s first maritime runway is set to be completed by November, with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina expected to inaugurate the runway before the next parliamentary election.

The runway will pave the way for Cox’s Bazar Airport to become the country’s fourth international airport.

Aviation stakeholders and government officials believe that the airport will transform Cox’s Bazar into an aviation and tourism hub when it begins operation in full swing.
What will change with the runway?

The government is working on the expansion of Cox’s Bazar Airport to meet the needs and challenges of the next 50 to 60 years.

Cox’s Bazar airport will be able to handle over 350 flights in 24 hours with the new runway and related facilities.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman said: “The government also plans to build an international terminal [at Cox’s Bazar Airport]. The development of the airport is being taken forward step by step by formulating a master plan.”

Responding to a query, the Caab chairman said that with the implementation of the current project, it will be possible to operate long-haul international flights directly from Cox’s Bazar with a full load.

A high-quality lighting system will facilitate the operation of flights during night time and rough weather

The increased passenger and cargo transportation capacity of the airport will also allow the authorities to quickly establish air communication during natural disasters in coastal areas, he added.
Tourism boost

Under the runway agreement, the contracting firm will extend the existing 9,000 feet runway towards the Maheshkhali Channel by 1,700 feet through coastal land reclamation.

When completed, it will be the longest runway in the country. Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) has a runway length of 10,500 feet.

The extended runway will allow larger aircraft, such as those used for international flights, to take off and land at Cox’s Bazar airport.

Li Guangqi, site manager of the runway extension project, told this reporter: “It will be a unique runway as it is being built by reclaiming land from the sea on the world’s longest beach. There will also be an airfield ground lighting system. Tourists coming to Bangladesh will be impressed by it.”

Shiblul Azam Koreshi, president of the Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB), said the runway will help to increase tourism but the benefits will only be fully reaped if a realistic tourism policy is implemented.

Dr M Badruzzaman Bhuiyan, professor at the Dhaka University department of tourism and hospitality management, said Cox’s Bazar should be one of the most popular tourist destinations in Asia due to its spectacular natural attractions.

He stressed the need to conduct regular campaigns among local residents about eco-tourism, environmental awareness, and hospitality to make Cox’s Bazar a more tourist- and eco-friendly destination.

Cox’s Bazar Airport started its journey as a domestic airport in 1956. The airport is situated on a total of 941 acres of land and is located 1.5 kilometres away from Cox’s Bazar city, and 396km away from the capital.

Currently, four airline operators run flights to and from Cox’s Bazar Airport: Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Novo Air, US-Bangla Airlines, and Air Astra. They operate around 22 flights (round trips) per day on the Dhaka-Cox’s Bazar route.

Recently, the government set a plan to spend over Tk32,604 crore to upgrade and modernize various facilities of the airport, including the extension of the runway.

In February 2021, CAAB signed an agreement with China Civil Engineering Construction Company Limited (CCECC) for the runway extension. Six months later, the company and another Chinese engineering company, Changjiang Yichang Water Engineering Bureau (CYWCB), started implementing the project.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the construction work on August 29, 2021 .

The runway is being extended by 1,700 feet from the current 9,000 feet, Project Director Yunus Bhuiyan told Dhaka Tribune on Friday.

A 1,300-foot stretch of the runway’s extended portion will be over the sea, he added.

Almost 80% of the construction work for the project has been completed at a cost of $18.5 million, or Tk1,850 crore.

According to project documents, the deadline to finish construction is May 10, 2024. However, Site Manager Li Guangqi said the Covid-19 pandemic sped up the work.

Source: DT