Cox’s Bazar Airport Upgraded to International Status as Bangladesh Expands Aviation Network

Reading Time: 2 minutes Bangladesh’s government has officially declared Cox’s Bazar Airport as the country’s fourth international airport, marking a major step in its drive to modernise aviation infrastructure and boost tourism along the Bay of Bengal coastline. A government gazette issued on Sunday confirmed the decision, invoking the Civil Aviation Rules, 1984, to grant the facility international status “in the public interest”, effective immediately. The country’s other international airports are Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, and Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram. With Cox’s Bazar now added, Bangladesh operates a total of 21 civilian airports, of which 8 are currently operational for scheduled flights. Chinese firm leading development The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has awarded the main development contract for Cox’s Bazar Airport to a Chinese construction consortium, led by Beijing Urban Construction Group (BUCG). The upgrade project, launched in 2021