Govt plans international airport in Trishal, feasibility study soon: Aviation minister

The government will take steps to build a full-fledged international airport in Trishal, Mymensingh, and conduct a feasibility study soon, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said today.

"Considering future development, we will take steps to build a full-fledged international airport in the Trishal area of Mymensingh, near Dhaka. A feasibility study will be conducted soon," he said at a programme in Mymensingh, according to a ministry press release.

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The minister made the announcement while addressing a reception for students who secured GPA-5 in this year's SSC examinations. The programme was organised by Mymensingh City Corporation at Sarinda Sabari Resort.

Trishal had previously been considered as a site for a new international airport near Dhaka. A pre-feasibility study conducted by the civil aviation ministry in 2010 had identified the area as a preferred location.

Speaking about Biman Bangladesh Airlines' fleet expansion, Millat said, "We have taken steps to purchase 35 aircraft. Many are questioning why we need to spend billions of dollars on aircraft. It will take 10 years for these aircraft to arrive."

He said the aircraft would be delivered in phases between 2031 and 2036-37, by which time most of Biman’s existing aircraft would have reached the end of their operational lives.

Biman has signed agreements to purchase 25 Boeing aircraft and 10 Airbus aircraft. Deliveries of the Boeing planes are scheduled to begin in November 2031, while the delivery schedule for the Airbus order has yet to be disclosed.

However, during the Airbus agreement signing ceremony on October 7, Millat requested the manufacturer to deliver at least one aircraft by 2026-27.

The minister also stressed the need to expand Bangladesh's direct international air connectivity, identifying New York in the US, Sydney in Australia, South Korea and China as potential destinations.

He said initiatives would be taken to develop Birishiri in Netrokona as a tourism destination and establish a children's park there. Efforts would also be made to upgrade Mymensingh Engineering College into a full-fledged university.

Millat said the government aimed to accelerate development in the Mymensingh division through cooperation among lawmakers, the administration and other stakeholders.

State Minister for Information and Broadcasting Yaser Khan Chowdhury, who also attended the programme, said an information complex was being built in the district.

The complex will include facilities for journalists, a modern cineplex and recreational amenities for people of different age groups, including students. He added that similar information complexes would be established in all 64 districts.