Published : 23 Aug 2026, 08:02 PM
Updated : 08 Sep 2026, 09:35 AM
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has set out plans to speed up work across the aviation and tourism sectors after being promoted from state minister in Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s latest cabinet reshuffle.
Millat said improving coordination between the ministry and its agencies would be one of his priorities as he took charge of the portfolio as a full minister on Sunday.
Speaking to officials at the Secretariat, he said the ministry needed to work as a team and move beyond what he described as inefficient bureaucratic practices.
At the meeting, Millat said: “I am grateful to Hon’ble Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for entrusting me with the responsibility of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism as a minister. Reshuffles are a normal process. Under the new leadership, we want to move the ministry’s work forward by building a team.”
The minister also said that, for the convenience of his work, he wants to spend one of the five working days each week at either the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) or Biman Bangladesh Airlines office.
He said his first priority would be to eliminate the lack of coordination between the ministry and the agencies under it.
Addressing officials, the minister said: “There are rewards for good work, just as there are provisions for reprimanding poor work. To make the ministry’s activities more dynamic, we have to work beyond controversial bureaucratic practices. We must move forward with innovative plans.”
The minister also outlined several aviation projects currently in the pipeline.
He said the government was working towards partially opening the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Dec 16 and hoped to sign an agreement with a Japanese company in September.
Plans were also under way to launch Dhaka-New York flights next year and add 10 leased aircraft to Biman’s fleet, he said.
On domestic aviation, Millat said the government was considering resuming flights to Ishwardi to support the transport of radioactive materials for the nuclear power plant in Pabna.
He also said talks had been held with US-Bangla Airlines over increasing flights from Jashore, where commercial services had declined.
A feasibility study for an airport in Bogura is under way, while the government hopes to open Cox’s Bazar International Airport in October, he added.
Millat was promoted to full minister when Tarique expanded and reshuffled his cabinet six months after the BNP formed the government.
He retained the Civil Aviation and Tourism portfolio, while Afroza Khanam Rita was moved to the food ministry.
Millat is treasurer of the BNP’s National Executive Committee and president of the party’s Dewanganj Upazila unit in Jamalpur.
He was first elected to parliament in 2001 and returned for a second term in the 13th parliamentary election.……
