The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is gearing up to launch international flight operations at Cox’s Bazar Airport as early as July, aiming to transform it into a regional aviation hub.
Media reported citing CAAB sources that Cox’s Bazar Airport currently handles 25–30 passenger flights and 6–10 cargo flights daily. To elevate the airport to a regional hub, the government initiated the Cox’s Bazar Airport Runway Extension Project. But progress has been hampered by land acquisition issues and relocation difficulties.
One of the primary challenges stems from the residential settlements around the airport. Many families and businesses, including 14 shops in the old Jhinuk Market and 42 households, remain on lands allocated for airport expansion.
Moreover, acquiring the remaining 0.04 acres in that area has proven difficult. Structures belonging to the Public Works Department and the Roads and Highways Department occupy 4.56 acres of land earmarked for the project but have yet to be relocated.
Further complications have arisen within the operational zone, where 6.57 acres claimed by the military include 4.64 acres crucial for constructing key infrastructure such as a fire station, drainage system, security boundary walls, and peripheral roads.
CAAB also revealed that eviction of 3,300 families from 97 acres of land within a total of 682 acres allocated for the airport has not yet been possible — a situation that could significantly hinder the timely launch of international flights.
Contributor: Tareque Hasan
Photo: Colected
