Govt likely to okay Cox’s Bazar airport expansion project tomorrow

The Cox’s Bazar airport’s runway expansion plan costing over Tk1,568 crore will be tabled before the Cabinet tomorrow for approval.

As part of the government’s decision to upgrade the airport to the international level in phases, the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry came up with the latest project.

The runway’s length will be expanded to 9,000 feet from existing 6,775 feet and width to 200 feet from 120 feet, according to the project proposal. It will be expanded up to Maheshkhali Channel to accommodate jets.

After scrutinising the financial proposals, the project evaluation committee selected two foreign companies — CYWEB-CCECC and Sinohydro Corporation Limited — to award the expansion work of the runway.

“The project will be tabled before the next Wednesday’s Cabinet on Public Purchase,” said an official at the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry.

In November 2018, the government had approved a Tk 3,709.60 crore project for the upgradation of the airport by constructing new terminal building, increasing the width of runway and setting up airfield ground lighting system. The project implementation period was set from January 2019 to December 2021.

In 2017, the government had decided to upgrade the Cox's Bazar airport to the international standard to boost the country's most popular tourism spot.

An international airport is one that can accommodate international flights that requires separate layers for immigrations and customs including high end facilities at the terminal like aerobridges and mandatory runway length to accommodate jets.