Bogra airport could be operational on a limited scale soon if funds are allocated, Air Chief Marshal Hasan Mahmood Khan has said.
Following a runway inspection, Hasan told reporters on Sunday that a board would be formed in collaboration with the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh to propose the matter to the interim government.
The air chief said Bogra airport was of significant importance and had been proposed to the previous government multiple times, but it had not been a priority for the regime.
“Completing the necessary expansions, including the runway, will take at least a year. Otherwise, the project will have to wait for the next elected government,” he added.
According to him, a minimum 6,000-foot runway is required to operationalize Bogra airport, while the current length is only 4,700 feet.
If operational, the important airport would significantly enhance economic activity in the region, Hasan added.
Present at the press briefing were CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Mohammad Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan, the Bogra deputy commissioner and superintendent of police, among others.
Historical context
According to sources, the authorities first took the initiative to establish Bogra airport in 1987. However, due to various complications, the project was not completed. During the 1991–96 tenure of the BNP government, a policy decision to establish the airport was made, approving a project worth Tk22 crore.
In 1995, the government acquired 109.81 acres of land in Erulia, Bogra Sadar upazila, near the Bogra-Naogaon road.
When the Awami League came to power in 1996, the project included the construction of a runway, office buildings, residential quarters for officials, electricity and water supply, and roads. A 600-foot-wide and 5,000-foot-long runway was built.
Although the construction was completed in 2000, commercial flight operations never began.
When the BNP-Jamaat coalition assumed power in 2001, no steps were taken to operationalize the airport commercially. Instead, the airport was handed over to the Bangladesh Air Force, which established a radar station and a military flight training centre, effectively halting commercial aviation.
Following the Awami League's return to power in December 2008, efforts were made to bring Bogra airport under CAAB for commercial use.
The airport's reactivation was raised in subsequent budgets, but progress remained limited.
At one point, the then-chief of the air force, during a visit to Bogra, said the force had no objection to operating flights for revenue collection under CAAB at Bogra airport.
Subsequently, plans were initiated to extend the existing runway by 3,000 feet – 1,500 feet on each side – since the previous runway was only suitable for STOL (short takeoff and landing) aircraft.
For the operation of advanced passenger aircraft, a minimum 8,000-foot runway is required. Although proposals for land acquisition to extend the runway were submitted, there was no progress. Despite local residents expressing their willingness to provide land for the runway, no steps were taken to acquire it.
In the 11th Parliament, former Bogra-7 MP Rezaul Karim Bablu discussed the reopening of Bogra airport. Afterwards, the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism directed CAAB to form a four-member committee to assess the feasibility of reopening the airport and submit a comprehensive report.
On November 15, 2021, a five-member CAAB delegation, led by Deputy Secretary Ishrat Jahan Panna, visited the airport to inspect the site.
Residents eager for airport
Locals in Shimulia and Boro Mohor villages near the Erulia area, including Shafiqul Islam, Mizanur Rahman, Rezaul Karim and Kamrul Hasan, said no action had been taken to acquire land so far, reiterating their readiness to provide land for the airport's runway.
Local stakeholders from the hospitality and tourism sectors highlighted Bogra’s significance as a gateway to northern Bangladesh.
The region features historical landmarks such as the country’s oldest city Mahasthangarh, the shrine of Shah Sultan Mahisawar Balkhi, Vasu Bihar and Gokul Medh.
Additionally, there are over 25 government and private industries, the international-standard Shaheed Chandu Stadium, and a variety of high-end accommodations, including one five-star and one four-star hotel.
Stakeholders said Bogra attracted 5,000–6,000 tourists annually, adding that the absence of air transport had hindered the hosting of international cricket matches at the stadium.
Currently, travelling from Bogra to the capital Dhaka takes about five hours by bus or 10–12 hours by train. However, a flight would take less than an hour.
Reopening Bogra airport is expected to significantly boost trade, tourism and other sectors.