Two places near the capital city have been identified for the construction of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Airport. The places are in Madaripur and Shariatpur.
According to Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) sources, this information came to light.
CAAB chairman Air vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman told the media, “According to a survey conducted by a Japanese consultancy firm, two locations at Madaripur and Shariatpur have been identified for the airport. We have come up with a proposal for the construction of the airport at a cost of Tk 100000 crore.”
“It has been sent to the Prime Minister’s Office. All our preparations are done. Once the Prime Minister chooses one of the two places, we will be able to start the construction of the airport. If this airport is built, the revenue will also increase along with the international flights,” added Mafidur Rahman.
It is learned that Nippon Koei, a Japanese consulting firm, was hired at a cost of Tk 136 crore to test the feasibility of the airport project. After 4 years of study, they chose a suitable place near the border of Shibchar in Madaripur and Shariatpur. After inspecting the 28 potential sites for the construction of the airport, 10 sites were initially selected. Later, two places were selected from three suitable possible places considering other parameters in detail.
The government has planned to construct Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman International Airport with a view to enhancing air connectivity and establishing the country as a center of air communication between the eastern and western countries.
In 2010, the cabinet approved the construction of Bangabandhu International Airport at an initial cost of around Tk 50,000 crore. According to the project proposal, 400 passenger and 200 cargo flights would be operated daily on three runways at the airport. The names of Arial Beel in Munshiganj and Trishal in Mymensingh came up in the initial selection of the government as a suitable place for the construction of the airport. Later, the government planned to build an airport at Arial Bay, excluding Trishal.
Acquisition of land for Bangabandhu International Airport in Arial Bill started in 2011, one year after the project was approved by the cabinet. But the project was suspended from there following the locals’ obstruction.