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Govt to modernise airports, revamp tourism
Daily Sun Report, Dhaka
Published: 13 Sep 2026, 12:00 AM
The government is taking initiatives to develop world-class airports and modernise tourism infrastructure to attract more foreign visitors and extend their stays in Bangladesh, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said Saturday.
Speaking at a policy conclave in Dhaka, Millat noted that despite possessing rich natural assets – including rivers, seas, hills, and forests – Bangladesh has historically lagged in developing and managing its tourism potential.
“We have everything... but we have not been able to arrange and manage them properly,” Millat said. “We have to move away from the condition of the airports that we inherited.”
Describing airports as the primary “gateway and mirror” of a country, the minister emphasised that passenger services and airport facilities must meet international standards.
He added that the government is expanding international air connectivity to position the country as a regional aviation hub.
Millat made the remarks at the policy conclave “World-Class Aviation for Bangladesh’s Economic Progress,” organised by Bonik Barta at the United Convention Centre in Kurmitola, Dhaka.
He said a third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport would significantly increase passenger-handling capacity, while the government is also working to develop another international airport in Cox’s Bazar.
“We are taking steps to develop the tourism industry,” the minister said, adding that the government was considering public-private partnerships and greater private-sector involvement in areas that cannot be efficiently managed by the government.
Such measures are intended to create a more vibrant tourism sector and provide better facilities for international visitors so they spend more time in Bangladesh, he said.
However, US-Bangla Airlines Managing Director Mohammad Abdullah Al Mamun said building large airports alone would not make Bangladesh an aviation hub unless domestic airlines were also strengthened.
“Just calling ourselves an aviation hub will not make us one. Local airlines have to lead from the front,” he said.
Al Mamun called for lower operating costs for local airlines, greater competition in ground handling and policy reforms to create a more favourable business environment.
Foreign airlines would not play the main role in making Bangladesh an aviation hub, he said, stressing the need to strengthen domestic carriers.
He also urged authorities to consider the needs of airlines and passengers in developing the third terminal.
Citing Singapore, he said a successful aviation hub required more than passenger-handling infrastructure.
Airports also needed shopping, entertainment and other facilities to encourage passengers to spend more time there.
“Without adequate international brands and entertainment facilities, it will be difficult to achieve the goal of becoming an aviation hub simply by building a large terminal,” he said.
Al Mamun also called for regulatory reform, saying the government had initiated steps to replace aviation regulations introduced in 1984.
He urged the authorities to establish a more effective regulatory framework aligned with international standards.
He also stressed the need to develop aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) facilities in Bangladesh.
Millat said aircraft currently had to be sent to India or Singapore for maintenance and that the government planned to simplify civil aviation rules where necessary to facilitate MRO activities.
Al Mamun said lower aviation costs would also support tourism and agricultural exports.
He called for competition in ground handling, saying multiple companies should be allowed to operate at Bangladeshi airports.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humaiyun Kobir said Bangladesh must upgrade airport infrastructure, strengthen its national airline and ensure international standards in ground handling to become a regional aviation hub.
The country also needs to expand its aircraft fleet, route network and flight frequencies while developing cargo capacity to capitalise on growing trade and e-commerce, he said.
“We must build our own maintenance, repair and overhaul facilities and create local aviation training centres,” Kobir said.
He also called for an open-skies policy as far as possible to allow airlines from around the world to use Bangladesh as a gateway to South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and beyond.
New routes and low-cost airline partnerships with East Asian markets, including China, Japan and South Korea, could support tourism, trade and investment, he said.
Kobir said the government was close to concluding negotiations on the operation of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and expected a soft opening in December, followed by full operation around March-April.
More than 500 policymakers, experts, diplomats, entrepreneurs and representatives of local and foreign organisations attended the conclave, which discussed Bangladesh’s aviation potential and challenges, investment opportunities, infrastructure development and policy reforms.
CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq attended the event as guest of honour, while former CAAB chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd) Mahmud Hossain presented the keynote paper.