Cargo service from Sylhet airport in weeks

In a significant move for boosting export and import, the country's civil aviation watchdog is set to launch cargo services from two more international airports after the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka.

This service will be launched from the Osmani International Airport in Sylhet by the end of March or the first week of April this year.

Later, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) will launch the service from the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram.

Cargo services from Sylhet and Chattogram airports will increase export and import through the regions and also reduce traders' dependency on the Dhaka airport for air transportation of goods.

It will also save the cost and time of businesses.

CAAB chairman Air Vice-Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan told the FE that they have completed all the formalities to launch cargo services from Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

"We've completed all preparations required to operate cargo service at Sylhet airport. A clearance is required from the European Union. I hope it will also be completed within a week. In that case, we'll be able to launch it by the end of this month (March) or early next month."

"However, we are trying our best to launch this service before Eid," he added.

The CAAB chief further said that preparations have also been taken to launch similar service at the Chattogram airport following the Sylhet airport.

Now, only the HSIA has the capacity to operate cargo service.

A total of 0.2-million tonnes of cargo were exported through the airport from January to October in 2024, according to data available with the CAAB. Its daily export was 661.55 tonnes per day on average by this time.

However, it is expected that the third terminal at the HSIA, which might be opened at the end of 2025, will improve the capacity in handling and air shipment of goods significantly.

Due to the HSIA's incapacity, a significant portion of the air cargo is transshipped through Delhi, Kolkata, Colombo and other neighbouring international airports.

"Initiatives to launch the service from Sylhet and Chattogram have been taken so that the country's traders can transship their cargoes through our own airports," cited the CAAB chairman.

"If we can handle those cargos with our own capacity, then our revenue earnings will increase," he added.

Kabir Ahmed, president of the Bangladesh Freight Forwarders Association, told the FE that the country's import and export would undoubtedly get additional mileage out of the addition of two more airports for cargo operations.

However, if the number of airlines and carriers do not increase, it will not be of much benefit.

The civil aviation authority has to upgrade its capacity for cargo and warehouse management, and increase skilled manpower to handle cargoes in a more professional manner, according to Mr Kabir.

"The ground-handling charge remains a major challenge for air cargo. It must be reduced drastically, otherwise traders will have no option but to choose other regional airports to transship cargoes."

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