Bogura to be transformed into a major aviation hub: Minister
The government has also taken initiatives to expand the airport by setting up a pilot training academy and cargo facilities in a bid to open new opportunities in communication, trade and the aviation sector in northern Bangladesh
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita has announced that Bogura will be transformed into one of the country's major aviation hubs by using the economic potential of the northern region.
"We have come to Bogura following Prime Minister Tarique Rahman's instructions. By making the most of the northern region's potential, Bogura will be developed into one of the country's aviation hubs. The people of Bogura are very fortunate. This major ministry project is beginning its journey from Bogura," she said while speaking to reporters after visiting the Bogura airport today (7 May).
Earlier, she inspected the airport in an Air Force special helicopter in the morning.
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State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat, State Minister for Local Government, Rural Development and Cooperatives Mir Shahe Alam, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan, and Secretary of the Ministry of Aviation and Tourism Fahmida Akhtar accompanied her at the time, according to a media release issued by the ministry.
Millat said the government plans to build an international-standard airport in Bogura with a 10,500-foot runway for domestic and international flights.
"Cargo facilities would also be set up to boost the transport and export of agricultural and industrial products from the northern region," he added.
The government has also taken initiatives to expand the airport by setting up a pilot training academy and cargo facilities in a bid to open new opportunities in communication, trade and the aviation sector in northern Bangladesh, the state minister said.
The airport, built on approximately 109 acres of land, currently has a 4,500-foot-long, 100-foot-wide runway, a four-story terminal building, a two-story fire station, a power house, and limited security facilities. The existing facilities are not suitable for handling large commercial aircraft.
Under the government's plan, the airport will be upgraded to international standards in phases. In the first phase, there is a proposal to build a new runway measuring 9,000 feet long and 150 feet wide on around 400 acres of land. Later, the runway will be extended to 10,500 feet
