Several foreign airlines keen to operate flights from Cox’s Bazar: Minister

Several foreign airlines have already expressed interest in operating flights from Cox’s Bazar International Airport after its inauguration, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has said.

Informing that the airport will be formally inaugurated in October 2026, he said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is expected to inaugurate the airport.

He made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with members of the Aviation and Tourism Journalists Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.

The minister said work to upgrade Cox’s Bazar Airport into an international facility is rapidly progressing.

He said Biman Bangladesh Airlines as well as international airlines would operate flights from the airport after its inauguration.

The government has taken initiatives to launch direct international flights from Cox’s Bazar through discussions and coordination with international airlines, he added.

Negotiations are under way to sign the necessary agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with interested airlines, according to the minister.

The development is expected to strengthen Cox’s Bazar’s connectivity with international destinations and support the government’s broader efforts to expand the country’s tourism sector.

The minister also emphasised the importance of improving international air connectivity to attract more foreign tourists and facilitate the growth of tourism-related businesses in the country.