AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT HISTORY

Rebuilding: Right after Liberation

During the nine-month long liberation war in 1971, the entire aviation infrastructure of the country was severely damaged. The Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) and the Airports Development Agency (ADA), together hand in hand with all their past experience and patriotic enthusiasm, reconstructed and repaired the airports at Tejgaon (Dhaka), Chittagong, Sylhet, Jessore, Ishurdi, and Cox’s Bazar within amazingly short period of time that facilitated post liberation relief operations and enabled civil air transportation to re-commence

Tejgaon Airport, Dhaka

Tejgoan Airport had been the only international airport of the country until Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport was commissioned. In addition to the post liberation reconstruction woks, the runway of this airport was re-carpeted in 1976, along with an apron for Boeing operation. In the same year, the terminal building was extended to meet the increased demand for more office space. By the year 1983 the aeronautical and navigation equipment along with the office establishments were shifted to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at Kurmitola.


HAZRAT SHAHJALAL INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, DHAKA.

Initial works

It was in the year 1966 that a project was taken by the then Pakistan Government to construct a new airport at Kurmitola, Dhaka in order to meet the provincial and regional demand. Construction work also started that came to a halt due to liberation war in 1971. After liberation, the Government of Bangladesh decided to build the airport as the principal international airport of the country and appointed the Airport de Paris of France as consultant for the purpose. The airport was put in operations in the year 1980 while the project took three more years to complete.

Later works

In the later days, three major complexes at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport were constructed. These were VVIP terminal, domestic terminal and flying club along with associated aprons and taxiways. A flood protection embankment around the airport was constructed in the year 1988-89. Six boarding bridges and associated corridor and holding lounge were constructed in 1993-94. Two more boarding bridges are under process  for procurement and installation by June 2010.

Cargo village

The old cargo complex had been insufficient for long. As Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport plays the most vital role in cargo transportation, increasing the cargo handling capacity of the airport was inevitable. To comply with the demand, CAAB took a project of constructing a giant cargo village with a terminal and a separate building for associated office works. By the year 2000, the construction work of the village having a floor-area of two hundred thousand square feet was complete. Afterward, the complex was handed over to Biman Bangladesh Airlines ltd. for management of cargo operations.

Multi-storied car park

Recently a multi-storied car park has been constructed at the north side of the old car park in front of the terminal building. Presently, with three layers, capacity of the park is 500 cars. It was opened for public on 24th August, 2002. Another layer shall be constructed in the future which shall increase the capacity to 600 cars.

Renovation of Departure Floor

In order to facilitate departing passengers, the Departure Floor of the terminal building under went a complete renovation and refurbishment. Check-in counters and immigration desks were smartened up turning it into more aesthetic in fashion and efficient in work. Biman Bangladesh Airlines ltd. equipped the check-in counters with a computer network called CUTE (Common User Terminal Equipment).

Extension of Terminal Building

Hazrat Shahjalal  International Airport had been failing to cope up with the increasing number of flights and passengers. To expand the cargo handling capacity, a cargo village was constructed. Then in order to increase the passenger handling capacity, the terminal building has been extended, in 2 phases, 1.5 times the older one. In the 1st phase, the ground floor and in the 2nd phase, the 1st, 2nd and mezzanine floors were constructed. Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s passenger handling capacity now therefore raised to 8 million per year, almost 2 times the previous capacity, and we expect that this airport will go on meeting well the needs for further 20 years or more.

Replacement of existing DVOR & DME at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is the main gate-way of Bangladesh. The DVOR and DME was installed in 1993 at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. To provide modern navigational facilities for safe and secured landing of aircrafts on the runway at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, a project name “Replacement of Existing DVOR and DME at Hazrat Shahjalal  International Airport, Dhaka” was taken in hand in the year 2003 and completed in 2008.


New Development Project

Up-gradation of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport

 A project named “Up-gradation of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA)” has been taken in hand to up-gradate HSIA in respect of implementing new communication and navigational system and strengthening of Taxi-way of the Airport under Mixed credit financing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark. The DPP of the project has been approved in ECNEC meeting held on 15.07.08. Total project cost is Tk. 41404.75 Lakh. The project is scheduled to be completed by June’2012.

Scope of Works :

The following works will be done under the project:

1)  Re-construction of Taxi-way
2)  Modernization of drainage System

3)  Procurement of Maintenance equipment

4)  Procurement of Visual guidance.

5)  Procurement of Primary and Secondary Radar.

6)  Procurement of Nav. Aids

7)  Procurement of Radio-Communication equipment.

8)  Extension & construction of operation Building, Refurbishment of transmitting building etc.

Shah Amanat  International Airport,
Chittagong
Shah Amanat International Airport is the second greatest airport of Bangladesh. It was constructed in early 1940s. The major development works after liberation follow.

1977-78 In order to facilitate Boeing720 operations, the runway was extended by 762 meters to have a 3048 meter long one
1984-85 To increase PCN of the runway, it was carpeted with macadam and bitumen concrete.
1991-92 Terminal building was repaired and extended since it was damaged by the storm of 29th April 1991 and also to increase and develop the standard of passenger services.
1996 The Governments of Japan and Bangladesh signed an agreement for financial and technical assistance to develop the airport to a modern international airport.
1998-00

The airport was under gone the development project known as Chittagong Airport Development Project assisted by Japan as the agreement. A new terminal building was constructed along with installation of new aeronautical and passenger service equipment. The architectural and environmental beauty and grandeur of the airport is noteworthy.


Osmani International Airport, Sylhet
In the 80s, a project was taken in hand for development of the airport and the work was completed in the year 1986. Works done under the project:

·  Terminal building construction,
·  Installation of Navigation Aids.
·   Construction of runway pavement.
·   Development of Taxiways and aprons.

In the year 1997 re-carpeting and extension of runway (to 8500 ft) was done in order to enable wide bodied aircraft operation.

The airport was declared as an international airport.

In the year 2003, a project named “Development of Osmani International Airport, Sylhet for operation of wide-body Aircraft” was taken in hand and completed in the year 2008. The following works has been done under the project:

·         Extension of Runway up to 21565.00 Sqm.

·         Carpeting works 183123.00 Sqm.

·         Construction of over runway 8086.00 Sqm.

·         Drainage system and allied works.

·         Construction of Connecting taxiway and
      extension of apron etc.

Another project named “Extension & Modernization of Passenger Terminal building & construction of 1st floor at Osmani International Airport was also taken in hand in 2003 and completed in 2009.

Under this project, the following works has been done:

 

·         Extension of Passenger Terminal Building.

·         Passenger Boarding Bridge.

·        Fire Protection, Alarm system & other
      allied works.

·         Air conditioning system.

·         Lift/Elevator.

·         Escalator.

·         Electrical Substation.

·         PA System, Telephone, Inverter/UPS etc.

·         CCTV, DVOR.

·         Baggage X-ray Scanning Machine.

 

 

 Other Airports
1982 Runway extension at Jessore airport.
1993 Runway extension at Cox’s Bazar airport.
1994 Runway extension at Rajshahi airport
1994 Runway extension at Saidpur airport.
2007 Asphalt re-carpeting over the Runway at Jessore airport.
2007 Asphalt overlay over the Runway and Installation on Runway Lighting system at Cox’s Bazar Airport

Development
 A short history of development
 Chittagong Airport Development Project
 Recently implemented projects
 On-going development projects and works
 Future development projects and work