Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has undertaken another project to expand the runway of Cox's Bazar Airport with an aim to operate international flights and fully-loaded wide-body aircraft.
A CAAB official said the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in November last year approved a revised development project proforma (DPP) at an estimated cost of Tk 37.96 billion. The project is scheduled to be completed by December 2021.
CAAB is expected to float a tender in April this year. It has also appointed Bureau of Research, Testing and Consultation (BRTC) of Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) to conduct a feasibility study, pavement, drawing, airfield lighting system, geometric and structural design and submission of documents on the reclamation process of the expansion of the runway by another 3,000 ft on Moheshkhali channel.
Besides, Institute of Water Modelling (IWM), Dutch Hydraulic Institute and Royal Haskoning Netherlands have been appointed for hydrological and morphological studies, dam protection design and drawing.
Under the project, a 3000-ft runway will be constructed on the Moheshkhali channel and a precision approach cat-1 lighting system will be installed.
As per the instructions of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in May 2017, the authority has been implementing the project to expand the runway up to 12,000 ft to facilitate operation of international flights and wide-body aircraft.
Project director Engr Mohammed Aminul Hashib told the FE that wide-body aircraft such as one 777-300 ER or Airbus 380, two 737 and two Dash-8 or ATR can be parked once the project is implemented.
Earlier, CAAB implemented two projects on upgradation of Cox's Bazar Airport - Cox's Bazar Airport Runway Expansion Project (Phase I) at a cost of Tk 20 billion and construction of an international passenger terminal building at a cost of Tk 2.75 billion. These projects will be completed by June 30 this year, said Mr Hashib.
He said the main objective of the new runway expansion project is to facilitate international flight operation and develop the airport as a regional hub targeting the passengers of Bangkok, Myanmar, Kunming.
Also the number of flights will increase upon completion of the third project, he added.
In 2006, only two flights of Biman and GMG airlines were operated to Cox's Bazar a week. Now 10 passenger flights of various local airlines, four cargo flights and many aircraft of Navy and Air Force operate in Cox's Bazar daily with the development of the capacity.
If the taxiway and operational facilities can be enhanced as per international standards, the capacity of the runway will increase manifold, Mr Hashib said.
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