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BD well equipped to protect territory


Bangladeshpost
Published : 09 Feb 2020 08:57 PM | Updated : 07 Sep 2020 06:20 PM

The country is now well-equipped to protect its airspace and maritime boundary. The authority concerned is also going to expand its surveillance in the airspace of the country.
This will also help the country earn huge foreign currencies. As per the initiative, Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh (CAAB) will establish its control over Bandarban and Saint Martin Island and more than 120 million square kilometers of marine territory once the modern radar at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is installed by 2021.

Due to the poor capacity of the existing radar, neighboring India and Myanmar are getting advantage of the above-mentioned airspace, both countries having commercial facilities since 1968. However, the authority concerned is hopeful of exerting control over the airspace.

To modernise the radar system, the necessary equipment will be installed under the project titled ‘Communications, Navigation and Surveillance/ Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM)’ undertaken by the CAAB. To avoid any controversy, the government is going to procure the radar from Thales Technology of France, under the G2G process.

In addition, the latest radar will allow operating more flights over the skyline of Bangladesh. To this end, the authority concerned has highlighted their position to India, Myanmar, and Thailand in the 7th Air Traffic Management Coordination Group Meeting.

CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman during the meeting said, “As our capacity is increasing gradually, in the first step with our existing radar we will be able to control the Bandarban and Saint Martin island skyline. We will be able to control more when our new radar installation will be completed”.

“There are several routes in our skyline. Gradually we will take control over all the routes. Based on ICAO permission, we will take over the control, which will also increase our revenue collection”, he added.

A communication department official said, use of the latest radar will enhance the capacity for air traffic control. Then, the authority will be able to cover sea borders and identify commercial airliners. Only through this, CAAB revenue earnings will increase by several times.

CAAB took initiatives to replace the old radar at HSIA in 2005. In 2012, a company proposed to install the radar at a cost of Tk 330 crore under the public-private partnership. The next year, in September, ECNEC approved the project and four companies submitted tender in 2015.