Work Begins to Transform Bangladesh’s Aviation Sector into Regional Hub: Aviation Minister

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has said that work has begun to transform Bangladesh’s aviation sector into a regional aviation hub. He said the aviation sector is very important to the goal of turning Bangladesh’s economy into a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. Several initiatives have been taken to upgrade the country’s airports to international standards, improve passenger and cargo management, develop aircraft maintenance and repair facilities, and promote the tourism sector.

The minister made the remarks at a conference titled ‘World-Class Aviation for Bangladesh’s Economic Progress’, organised by Bonik Barta at the United Convention Centre in Kurmitola, Dhaka, on Saturday (September 12) evening.

The aviation minister said, “Under the leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, we have started work to transform the country’s aviation sector into a regional aviation hub. Our goal is to turn Bangladesh’s economy into a trillion-dollar economy by 2034. The aviation sector is very important in this journey. Many have said that an airport is the mirror of a country. We have to move beyond the position in which we found this sector. We are ready to carry out the necessary work for this.”

Highlighting the failure to develop tourism in the country, the minister said, “People are not interested in coming to Bangladesh. There are many problems behind this. Bangladesh has everything needed for tourism, including rivers, seas and forests, but we have not been able to manage these resources properly. That is why we are focusing on developing the tourism and aviation sectors together.”

He said a modern aviation hub requires a good airport, full cargo facilities, passenger services and other facilities meeting international standards. He said initiatives have been taken to change various civil aviation rules after 42 years. “We are reviewing the rules that are creating obstacles for stakeholders and working to bring positive changes,” he said.

Sharing his recent experience of visiting Asia Air, the minister said, “There I saw MRO, aircraft, operations and turnaround management. I saw firsthand how an aircraft can be turned around within just 25 minutes and how operations can be run at a low cost.” He said that when an aircraft in Bangladesh becomes damaged, it currently has to be sent to India or Singapore for repairs. After the repair, it has to be brought back and the relevant rules and procedures must be followed.

Necessary changes will be made to the Civil Aviation Act and regulations to develop aircraft repair and maintenance capabilities in Bangladesh, he said. “The active participation of airline representatives must be ensured in preparing the regulations. You will tell us how we can make it easier for you to operate. We will hold meetings with your suggestions and finalise the issues. Steps will be taken to resolve the complexities involved in the maintenance and repair of complex aircraft components,” the minister said.

Referring to the aviation sector’s current fragile and disorganised condition, the minister said reducing passenger harassment is one of the government’s main goals. He said measures have also been taken to reduce the long waiting time for baggage at airports. Previously, passengers had to wait one and a half to two hours to receive their baggage. The waiting time has now been reduced significantly.

The situation has improved after instructions were issued for the quick handling of passengers and cargo together, he said. “Instructions have been given to open the two cargo doors at the same time as soon as the passenger doors are opened. As a result, after monitoring the situation for five days, we found that no passenger had to wait more than 40 minutes to receive their baggage.” Body-worn cameras are also being used to improve security and service standards at airports, he said.

Regarding the launch of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the minister said the previous government had cancelled the project, but the current government has revived it. He said negotiations with Japan had been resumed after considering the potential losses caused by the cancellation of the project, which is worth around $2.1 billion.

The minister said, “After the Prime Minister took office, a total of five meetings were held with Japan, along with the chairman of Invest Bangladesh, the state minister for foreign affairs and the foreign minister. Discussions were held with Japanese ministerial representatives, the minister responsible for aviation infrastructure, the Japanese ambassador and relevant representatives. These initiatives have been taken to implement the project in the national interest.”

The minister said politicians must always give priority to the national interest. “I have become a minister; what more do I have to gain? Even if my highest political goal is to become prime minister, I still have to think about the country first,” he said. He said the aviation sector must be modernised to international standards.

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport currently has the capacity to serve 12 million passengers. Once the third terminal is opened, the capacity will increase to more than 24 million passengers. The conference was moderated by Bonik Barta Editor Dewan Hanif Mahmud.

State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, US-Bangla Airlines Managing Director Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun, and Total Air Services Limited Chairman KM Mujibul Haque also spoke at the event. Former Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd) Mahmud Hossain presented the keynote paper on ‘World-Class Aviation for Bangladesh’s Economic Progress’. Policymakers, experts, diplomats, entrepreneurs and other stakeholders from local and international organisations involved in the aviation sector also attended the conference. US-Bangla Airlines was the gold sponsor of the event.