Chattogram Airport proposed as regional aviation hub

The government has taken an initiative to implement a new project aimed at transforming Chattogram’s Shah Amanat International Airport into a regional aviation and cargo hub. A proposal has been sent to the Asian Development Bank (ADB) seeking financing for the project.

Economic Relations Division (ERD) sent a letter to ADB’s country director in Bangladesh on September 16, requesting that the project be included in the agency’s Integrated Growth Network Development (IGND) initiative. A draft Development Project Proposal for the Chattogram Regional Air Hub project was also sent.

ADB announced in May that it plans to provide $5 billion in financial assistance to Bangladesh over five years under the IGND initiative. According to the organisation, the initiative aims to increase investment and employment, improve connectivity and accelerate balanced regional growth.

According to the ERD letter, the main objective of the project is to remove infrastructural and operational constraints at the airport and turn Chattogram into an effective regional aviation gateway. The project will enable the operation of larger passenger and cargo aircraft, faster aircraft turnaround, modern cargo handling and integrated connectivity with roads, railways and expressways.

Significance of project

Although Shah Amanat International Airport is the country’s second-largest international airport, its global connectivity has not increased in recent years. Previously, there were direct flights from Chattogram to Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia and Nepal. Passengers now have to travel via Dhaka to reach many destinations.

This airport handled 977,000 international passengers in 2023. In 2025, the figure remained limited to around one million.

There are also limitations in cargo transportation. Due to the absence of regular cargo flights, export goods from Chattogram have to be transported to Dhaka and then flown abroad.

Against this backdrop, Chattogram Chamber President Amirul Haque wrote to Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on August 15, requesting an initiative to develop Shah Amanat International Airport as a regional hub.

Amirul Haque said the port city’s economic activities are expanding around the seaport, economic zones and industrialisation. However, there are no regular cargo flights from Chattogram, while many international destinations cannot be reached directly. Therefore, he suggested, increasing the airport’s capacity has become essential.

First phase of project

According to the preliminary plan, the first phase of the project is targeted for completion within 18 months. The initial estimate for government investment in this phase is $250 million. The plan also predicts an additional $30–50 million in private-sector investment in hotels, convention centres, restaurants and other commercial entities.

Overall, potential investment in the first phase could amount to $280–300 million. The ERD said the size and cost of the project may change based on the feasibility study and feedback from stakeholders.

Runway, terminal and cargo hub

Shah Amanat International Airport currently has a runway measuring 2,940 metres in length and 45 metres in width. Under the new project, it may be extended to around 3,600 metres to make it appropriate for operating larger aircraft.
The plan also includes construction of a parallel taxiway, rapid-exit taxiways, six to eight parking stands for large aircraft and around six boarding bridges.

By expanding and reorganising the passenger terminal, the first phase aims to create an annual passenger-handling capacity of 8 million to 10 million. In long term, this capacity will be increased to 15 million to 20 million passengers.
For cargo transportation, the plan is to develop infrastructure capable of handling 75,000 to 100,000 tonnes of cargo annually in the first phase, which will later be increased to 300,000 to 500,000 tonnes. The proposed cargo hub will have bonded warehouses, express cargo and e-commerce facilities, cold-storage facilities and a digital tracking system.

Air-Sea Corridor

A separate Regional Transfer Centre is also planned to establish Chattogram as a regional connectivity hub. Once implemented, passengers from other countries will have transit and transfer facilities at the airport.
At the same time, there are plans to develop an Air-Sea Logistics Corridor in the future by connecting the airport with Chattogram seaport, logistics centres and economic zones. The feasibility of rail connectivity and an elevated expressway will also be examined.

However, aviation sector stakeholders say the biggest challenge will be attracting new international routes and cargo flights alongside expanding infrastructure. An airport cannot become a regional hub through infrastructure development alone; there must also be actual demand for passenger and cargo transportation. Incentive-based tariffs may also need to be considered to attract airlines.