The draft of the Civil Aviation Authority Bill 2015 is expected to be approved in a cabinet meeting scheduled for today.
The proposed bill empowers the Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh (CAAB) and gives more authority and functions to its top boss. The number of CAAB members would also be doubled to six if the bill is passed.
Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon yesterday told the Dhaka Tribune that the government has taken the initiative to make a time-befitting civil aviation authority law.
“It was mandatory as few related laws of the aviation sector have changed in the world as per the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). Considering this necessity, our government has drafted the bill,” said Menon.
CAAB functions as the regulatory body for all aviation-related activities in Bangladesh and is the custodian of all airfields and allied facilities including air navigation facilities.
In 1985, the then Ershad government promulgated the Civil Aviation Authority Ordinance 1985.
Although the CAAB’s operation areas expanded over the years, it could not recruit people as per demand.
As a result, the CAAB has been facing serious difficulties in implementing the ICAO and US Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) instructions to have its status upgraded.
In the draft bill, the CAAB board of directors has been restructured to have the chairman preside over meetings. All six CAAB members, the chief engineer and five others selected by the government, would be the members of board of directors.
“Management of all civil airports and military airports of the country would be operated by CAAB. It has all authority to build any airport in the country, renovation or planning. All air management of the country would be under direct supervision of CAAB,” the draft reads.
As per the new drafted bill, the CAAB will fix the fees for all aeronautical, non-aeronautical charges, parking, security and landing charges of any airport. All revenue earned by the CAAB, would be deposited to any schedule bank to ensure accountability of fund.