New Terminal at Cox’s Bazar Airport to Open Next Week

The newly constructed terminal at Cox’s Bazar Airport is set to open for domestic passenger arrivals and departures next week, marking a significant step toward transforming the country’s major tourism gateway into an international airport ahead of the planned launch of international operations next month.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmoud Siddiq said the new terminal would handle both domestic arrivals and departures from next week.

After inspecting the final preparations at the airport on Wednesday, he said all domestic airlines operating at the airport had completed preparations to shift their passenger-handling operations to the new terminal.

Initially, airlines will use golf carts to transport passengers between aircraft and the terminal building, he said. Following the launch of domestic operations at the new facility, international operations will be inaugurated from Cox’s Bazar Airport next month, according to the CAAB chairman.

Novoair Director of Marketing and Sales Sohel Majid said the airline had completed all preparations to operate passenger services through the new terminal. The airline had also successfully conducted trial operations, he said.

He added that all necessary preparations, including the deployment of golf carts for use at the new terminal, had been completed.

Preparing for International Operations
Following extensive development work, including construction of the new terminal and expansion of the runway toward the Bay of Bengal, the government is preparing to formally launch Cox’s Bazar as an international airport next month.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat had earlier expressed hope that, alongside Biman Bangladesh Airlines, foreign airlines would eventually operate international flights from the coastal city.

CAAB Member (Operations and Planning) Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mahbub Khan said the terminal would operate under a hybrid arrangement once international operations begin.

Under the planned system, both international arriving and departing passengers will use the new terminal. Domestic arriving passengers will subsequently use the existing terminal, while domestic departing passengers will complete check-in formalities at the new terminal before moving to the old terminal to wait for boarding.

Tk 3.62 Billion Terminal
The new international terminal has been constructed as part of a broader CAAB development programme aimed at upgrading Cox’s Bazar Airport to international standards and enabling it to handle wide-body aircraft.

The terminal covers approximately 17,956 square metres and was constructed under a project with an approved cost of around Tk 362.63 crore.

The facility includes a departure lounge with a capacity for 450 international passengers, a duty-free shop, boarding bridge, lifts, escalators, conveyor belts, check-in desks, departure and arrival immigration counters, and an arrival lounge.

Four immigration desks have been installed for departing passengers and six for arriving passengers. Two baggage delivery belts have also been provided for international arrivals.

The terminal is equipped with a public address system, Flight Information Display System (FIDS), signage, CCTV and facilities for screening heavy hand luggage.

Following the expansion, the airport’s annual passenger-handling capacity is expected to increase from around 730,000 to 1.8 million passengers.

Runway Extended to 10,700 Feet
Another major component of the airport’s transformation is the expansion of its runway from 9,000 feet to 10,700 feet. Around 43 hectares of land have been reclaimed from the Bay of Bengal for the 1,700-foot runway extension.

The extended runway has been designed to accommodate fully loaded wide-body aircraft, including Boeing 777-300ER and Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

The approved cost of the runway expansion project is Tk 3,709.61 crore, while the contract value is Tk 1,794.31 crore. Chinese joint venture CYWEB-CCECC JV implemented the project.

The project also includes around 2,200 feet of precision approach lighting extended toward the sea and a Category II airfield ground lighting system to facilitate safe aircraft operations.

A 1.89-kilometre protective embankment has been constructed to protect the runway from cyclones, tidal surges and other natural disasters. Security fencing, patrol roads and an 8,149-metre drainage system have also been included in the project.

Cox’s Bazar is currently one of Bangladesh’s busiest domestic airports, handling an average of 28 to 30 passenger flights a day.

The government expects direct international air connectivity with Cox’s Bazar to attract more foreign tourists while creating greater opportunities for investment in hotels, resorts and other tourism-related businesses.