Steps to upgrade Saidpur into international airport

NILPHAMARI, June 23: As directed by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, initiative has been taken to upgrade Saidpur regional airport into an international one.

The requisite work has already been started in this connection.

Saidpur UNO SM Golam Kibria said selection of real owners for acquisition of land is going on.

He said volunteer association comprising 21 local youths has been formed under his leadership to select real owners of the land.

Golam Kibria said, some fake owners have been detected. Some infrastructure like houses, shops and so on are being built overnight to claim huge compensation to be provided by the government.

He said existing airport runway of Saidpur is 6,800 feet which would be extended up to 12,000 feet.

ADC (Revenue) Nilphamari Shahinur Alam said the government willl have to acquire 852 acres of land out of which 579 acres of land are in Saidpur upazila and 273 acres of land are in Parbotipur upazila of Dinajpur district.

He said it would cost Tk 4,500 million for the airport to be expanded.

Sources said works would be completed within 2020 and when completed it would provide air connectivity to sub-regional countries of Bangladesh, Bhutan, India and Nepal (BBIN) which would promote industrialisation and tourism among the countries.

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