The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is grappling with chronic indecision, stalled projects, and growing criticism over poor management — with its most ambitious initiative, the Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, still unopened despite being nearly completed.
Though construction is 99% finished, the Tk4,261 crore project remains in limbo due to technical complications and administrative delays.
Officials and engineers warn that some equipment is already at risk of damage from prolonged inactivity, casting a shadow over the government’s vision to make Bangladesh a regional aviation hub.
A year of paralysis, reversals
The pattern of indecision extends beyond Dhaka.
On October 12, the government announced the upgrade of Cox’s Bazar Airport to international status, only to suspend the move 11 days later.
Persistent safety problems, including bird strikes and even cows and foxes straying onto the runway, remain unresolved.
Earlier this year, a devastating fire at Shahjalal’s cargo terminal destroyed goods worth thousands of crores of taka, exposing glaring lapses in fire safety and oversight despite prior warnings.
Meanwhile, CAAB’s abrupt cancellation of 16 business leases across three airports triggered legal disputes and stay orders from both the ministry and the High Court.
The properties remain frozen, causing financial losses estimated at hundreds of crores.
Mismanagement and leadership crisis
Aviation experts say the crisis is rooted in poor coordination and lack of accountability.
Aviation analyst Kazi Wahedul Alam told Dhaka Tribune that CAAB’s operational failures are now systemic.
“They lack skilled manpower and foresight. The cargo fire and the Cox’s Bazar suspension show an institution struggling to manage its responsibilities,” he said.
He added that the Third Terminal’s long delay, despite Japanese funding from JICA, risks financial and diplomatic consequences.
“Contractors are unpaid, equipment is deteriorating, and the longer it stays idle, the more revenue we lose.”
CAAB’s internal dysfunction is reportedly worsened by infighting.
Sources say operations and administration members dominate decision-making, sidelining the chairman.
“Crucial issues like safety and maintenance are ignored, while time and money are wasted on cosmetic projects,” one insider said.
Fear among airport businesses
Business operators accuse officials of abuse of power.
On July 1, CAAB cancelled multiple leases at Shahjalal and other airports without notice, allegedly seizing property and equipment without legal authority.
One female entrepreneur and several small café owners claim they were forcibly evicted.
“We are afraid to reopen or invest again,” said one tenant.
Financially, the fallout has been steep.
With no new leases allowed, airport retail and catering revenues have plunged.
Stalled flagship projects
Air Vice Marshal Manzur Kabir Bhuiya took charge as CAAB chairman on August 5, pledging to open the Third Terminal “within weeks.”
Nearly a year later, that promise remains unfulfilled.
Equipment such as baggage scanners and boarding systems lie unused, some already requiring recalibration.
Across airports, fire safety remains under scrutiny.
Runway hazards, from bird strikes to roaming animals, persist despite repeated recommendations for better management.
CAAB Member (Administration) SM Labluur Rahman said progress depends on inter-agency coordination.
“We are working professionally. Delays often come from other agencies that must sign off before operations begin,” he said.
On the suspended Cox’s Bazar upgrade, he said: “The government first decided to make it
international, then paused it. Another announcement may follow.”
Regarding financial losses, he said: “The government is aware and will decide accordingly. All decisions are made in good faith after consultation with experts.”
Economists and aviation specialists say CAAB’s paralysis is symptomatic of institutional decay.
“From the Third Terminal to Cox’s Bazar, every major project reveals the same disease — lack of planning, bureaucratic infighting, and zero accountability,” said a senior official at the Civil Aviation Ministry.
With billions of taka tied up in unfinished projects and critical safety lapses still unresolved, the country’s aviation ambitions remain grounded — waiting for CAAB to finally take off.
