Airport to be set up in Bagerhat
Sunday, 1 May 2011
FHM Humayan Kabir
The government will set up an airport at Rampal in Bagerhat to boost flow of tourists at the world's largest mangrove forest the Sundarbans and facilitate the impoverished seaport Mongla, officials said Saturday. Civil aviation and tourism ministry officials said they have undertaken a Tk 25.60 billion scheme to build Bangladesh's ninth airport only 20 kilometres away from the Sundarbans and Mongla port. "We've sent a proposal to the Planning Commission to get approval of the government's highest economic policy making body ECNEC (Executive Committee of National Economic Council). After getting permission we will start construction work," a civil aviation ministry official told the FE. The airport is expected to keep vibrant Mongla seaport and attract tourists to the Sundarbans in the greater Khulna region, he said. Bangladesh has three international and five domestic airports to carry passengers from home and abroad. Among the airports, Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet are used for carrying domestic and international passengers and, Rajshahi, Jessore, Saidpur, Barisal and Cox's Bazar for domestic passengers. Lack of necessary infrastructure and smooth communication facilities is the major impediment to attracting national and international tourists to the Sundarbans. "When the airport will be set up, foreigners and local tourists will be able to reach the forest within one hour. The aviation route will attract the tourists," the official said. Since the government has been working to give a face-lift to Mongla, the proposed airport at Bagerhat will facilitate the country's second largest seaport, he said. The proposed airport, to be named Khan Jahan Ali Airport, will have modern facilities for the operating airlines.
The government will set up an airport at Rampal in Bagerhat to boost flow of tourists at the world's largest mangrove forest the Sundarbans and facilitate the impoverished seaport Mongla, officials said Saturday. Civil aviation and tourism ministry officials said they have undertaken a Tk 25.60 billion scheme to build Bangladesh's ninth airport only 20 kilometres away from the Sundarbans and Mongla port. "We've sent a proposal to the Planning Commission to get approval of the government's highest economic policy making body ECNEC (Executive Committee of National Economic Council). After getting permission we will start construction work," a civil aviation ministry official told the FE. The airport is expected to keep vibrant Mongla seaport and attract tourists to the Sundarbans in the greater Khulna region, he said. Bangladesh has three international and five domestic airports to carry passengers from home and abroad. Among the airports, Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet are used for carrying domestic and international passengers and, Rajshahi, Jessore, Saidpur, Barisal and Cox's Bazar for domestic passengers. Lack of necessary infrastructure and smooth communication facilities is the major impediment to attracting national and international tourists to the Sundarbans. "When the airport will be set up, foreigners and local tourists will be able to reach the forest within one hour. The aviation route will attract the tourists," the official said. Since the government has been working to give a face-lift to Mongla, the proposed airport at Bagerhat will facilitate the country's second largest seaport, he said. The proposed airport, to be named Khan Jahan Ali Airport, will have modern facilities for the operating airlines.