Cox’s Bazar International Airport set for November inauguration: Millat

Dhaka: Preparations are underway to inaugurate Cox’s Bazar International Airport in November, with the government exploring direct international flights to turn the coastal city into an international tourism hub, said Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat on October 12.

“Preparations are underway to inaugurate the international airport in November,” the minister said at a meeting with representatives of local and foreign airlines at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism in the capital.

The meeting discussed infrastructure development at the newly built airport and the steps needed to introduce international flight services. Representatives of airlines shared their views on the prospects of operating direct flights to Cox’s Bazar.

Millat said the airport would play an important role in developing Cox’s Bazar into an international-standard tourism hub by enabling domestic and foreign tourists to travel directly from different parts of the world.

He highlighted the potential for direct air connectivity between Cox’s Bazar and Kunming, the capital of China’s landlocked Yunnan province, saying the route could offer opportunities for China Southern Airlines and China Eastern Airlines.

The minister also said AirAsia was working towards launching direct flights between Cox’s Bazar and Penang, Malaysia.

He welcomed Flydubai's interest in operating flights on the Cox’s Bazar–Bangkok–Dubai route.

The government is also considering providing financial incentives to airlines to encourage them to launch new international routes from Cox’s Bazar, he added.

Ministry Secretary Fahmida Akhter chaired the meeting. Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md. Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and CEO Kaiser Sohel Ahmed, and representatives of the ministry and local and foreign airlines attended.

Riyadh attack disrupts global air travel

Earlier, briefing reporters, the minister said the attack in Riyadh had temporarily disrupted air travel not only in Bangladesh but also across the world.

The disruption affected more than 3,400 out-bound passengers, as 10 flights from Dhaka were cancelled, he said.

The minister added that relevant officials had been instructed to take necessary measures to reduce passenger suffering.

“This is a global crisis. We hope to overcome it with everyone's cooperation,” he said.