The radar systems at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport are almost three decades old and operate for only 12 hours a day putting thousands of passengers travelling everyday ay risk.
“We badly need to replace the old radar of the airport with a new one. The radar in operation gets hot after 12 hours and some of its spare parts have become obsolete,” a senior official of the Civil Aviation Authority (on condition of anonymity) told the Dhaka Tribune Saturday.
The official added that the old radar is unable to provide the air navigation services for other airlines as it ceases to function round the clock.
Foreign airliners will not use Bangladeshi air navigation services after 2015 if Shahjalal International Airport is not updated in line with ICAO guidelines.
The civil aviation ministry has already submitted proposal to the cabinet committee on economic affairs for upgradation of the existing radar system to meet the international standard.
The current radar system depends on the age-old primary radar established in 1984 and secondary one which is set up in 1986 pose risk to the aircraft’s take-off and landing.
The secondary radar had a lifetime of 10 years.
In June, the cabinet body sent back the civil aviation ministry proposal for what it said “fund constraint”.
The cabinet committee said it would decide in the coming week whether to install a new radar and build a control tower to improve the system.
The Civil Aviation Authority has projected a good income from the aviation industry. Tk130bn is expected to be earned from the air navigation charges for the use of Bangladeshi air navigation services by other airliners over the period of next 10 years.
The current figure of aviation income stands at Tk7bn.
If the Civil Aviation Authority deposits the amount of money in the commercial bank, interest will come around Tk8.5bn.
Civil aviation and tourism Secretary Khurshid Alam Chowdhury said the Civil Aviation Authority would pay the radar setup debt by the installment money that will come from the interest of Tk8.5bn.
A new radar would cost Tk2.5bn, according to civil aviation source.
The international Civil Aviation Organisation put the total radar setup cost at Tk720m while an unsolicited bidder Karim Associates at Tk2.5bn, added the source.
The civil aviation minister, in the proposal, has emphasised the need for update and installation of the primary and secondary radar, Air Traffic Control centre, Control Tower Building, VHF Air Ground stand by Transceiver, Extended VHF Radio Communication, Master Clock, Recording system, Voice Communication and Control Systems and new Air Traffic Control centre in order to conform to the ICAO guidelines and ensure safe aircraft movement on the country’s airspace.
