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Published : 05 May 2015, 09:22 PM
The decision has been taken to boost the economic and business activities as well as tourism in the south-western Bangladesh.
The government will bear the entire cost of the Khan Jahan Ali Airport project, according to the approval given at an ECNEC meeting on Tuesday.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting at the National Economic Council at Dhaka’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar.
Planning Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal told reporters the government would provide Tk 4.9 billion of the total project cost, while the Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) Tk 540 million.
The CAAB is projected to finish the construction by June 2018.
“A fast communication network will be needed in Bagerhat to expand trade and commerce centring the Mongla Port, EPZ, Shrimp industry and Rampal power plant,” the minister said.
The distance of the proposed Khan Jahan Ali Airport would be 20 kilometres both from Khulna town and Mongla Port, he said.
“That will help tourism flourish in the region around the Sundarbans, Shat Gombuj Masjid and the Khan Jahan Ali Shrine.”
The airport would also help to send relief to the coastal areas in times of natural calamities, Kamal added.
The work on a ‘short take off and landing port’ in Bagerhat had originally begun in 1996 with the acquisition of 41.30 hectares of land. But the project was suspended soon afterwards.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina during a visit to Khulna in March 2011 had pledged to finish the project.
Its approval from the ECNEC seems to be the first step towards turning a 19-year-old dream into reality.
The ECNEC on Tuesday approved a total of 10 development projects including the airport with an outlay of Tk 19.1 billion.
Eight of the projects are new while two are revised projects.
Of the total cost of the projects, the government would provide over Tk 17.95 billion from its funds, while the remaining Tk 1.14 billion would be provided by other organisations, said the planning minister.
