Trial operations have begun at the new international-standard passenger terminal of Cox's Bazar Airport, with flights using the facility since Monday morning.

Air Commodore Md Nur-e-Alam, a Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) member (ATM), said the old terminal often had to handle 400 to 500 passengers per flight, and sometimes as many as 550, putting pressure on it well beyond its capacity.

"The new terminal will be formally inaugurated later. For now, it is being operated on a trial basis," he said.

He said passengers would find more spacious areas, adequate check-in counters, and seating at the new terminal. The trial operation will also help authorities identify and resolve any operational problems before the formal inauguration, he added.

Officials expect the new facility to significantly reduce the congestion passengers have long faced at the airport.

The terminal covers around 17,955 square metres. It has 14 check-in counters, 10 immigration desks, and two baggage claim belts. For security, it has seven scanners, metal detection systems, and separate facilities for screening and holding baggage. It is also equipped with four escalators, six lifts, a boarding bridge, and modern baggage handling facilities.

The approved cost of the project is around Tk 362.63 crore.

CAAB sources said the terminal can handle about 2 million (20 lakh) passengers a year. Testing and commissioning of the imported equipment have been completed.

The terminal has a shell-shaped roof, with steel structures decorated with wave-inspired designs, to suit the coastal setting of Cox's Bazar.

Airline officials welcomed the new facility. Mohammad Kamrul Islam, general manager (public relations) of US-Bangla Airlines, said the terminal's modern amenities would benefit all airlines, not just US-Bangla, and passengers would get better services than before.

He added that modernising other domestic airports in the country would benefit both airlines and passengers.

CAAB has also said it expects to declare Cox's Bazar Airport an international airport by the end of October. Prime Minister Tarique Rahman is scheduled to attend the declaration ceremony.

Cox's Bazar is home to a 120-kilometer sea beach, which is widely known as the world's longest natural sea beach. Despite its popularity as a tourist destination, the number of foreign tourists visiting the area remains relatively low.

Officials said limitations in the old airport's runway and infrastructure meant that not all types of aircraft could operate flights to Cox's Bazar. As a result, foreign tourists often had to stay in Dhaka before travelling on to Cox's Bazar. The upgrade to international standards was undertaken to change this situation.

According to CAAB, the airport's old runway was 6,000 feet long. It was later extended by 3,000 feet to 9,000 feet, and it now stands at 10,700 feet.

Source: BSS