To enhance journalists' technical knowledge and practical understanding of Bangladesh's aviation sector, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) organized a workshop titled "Civil Aviation & Air Traffic Operation" on Monday (July 20) at its headquarters auditorium in Kurmitola, Dhaka.

The workshop, organized by CAAB's Public Relations Department, brought together journalists from various media outlets across the country.

During the interactive sessions, participants raised questions on airport management, aviation safety, air traffic operations, passenger services, international aviation standards and other technical aspects of the civil aviation sector. CAAB Chairman and other senior officials responded to the queries and exchanged views on a range of contemporary aviation issues. Certificates were distributed among the participating journalists at the end of the programme.

Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq, BSP, GUP, ndc, afwc, acsc, psc, Chairman of CAAB, attended the workshop as the chief guest.

Addressing the participants, he said, "Civil aviation is a highly specialised, technical and public-interest sector. Therefore, there is no substitute for subject-specific knowledge and accurate information to ensure precise, balanced and responsible reporting on aviation."

He added, "The primary objective of this workshop is to provide journalists with practical insights into CAAB's functions, airport management, air traffic management, aviation security, passenger services and other technical aspects of the aviation sector so that they can produce more informative and responsible reports."

A presentation on civil aviation was delivered by Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mehboob Khan, BSP, BUP, ndc, psc, Member (Operations and Planning) of CAAB. He outlined the authority's responsibilities and functions, airport operations, airside and landside management, passenger services and aviation security. He also highlighted the importance of modern air traffic management and compliance with the International Civil Aviation Organization's (ICAO) Standards and Recommended Practices (SARPs) to ensure safe and efficient flight operations.

Member (Administration) Mohammad Lablur Rahman said CAAB had undertaken a range of initiatives to ensure smooth and comfortable travel for Hajj pilgrims. These included waiving embarkation, passenger security and airport development fees, distributing Zamzam water, providing separate prayer facilities, drinking water, washrooms and hand sanitizers, as well as ensuring the availability of trolleys, chairs and queue belts, mosquito control measures and infrastructure improvements.

A separate presentation on Air Traffic Operations was delivered by Air Commodore Md Noor-e-Alam, afwc, psc, ATC, Member (Air Traffic Management).

Senior CAAB officials were also present at the workshop.