Flight operations at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will remain suspended for eight hours daily for six months from November this year due to repair works of the runway, Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh has said.
CAAB's Safety and Regulation Division Director Wing Commander S M Nazmul Anam told bdnews24.com repair works of the runway would start from Nov 1 and would continue until Apr 30.
"During these six months, flight operations will remain suspended from 10pm to 6am. But during the Hajj season operations will remain suspended from 1:30am to 8am," he said.
Anam said the international air carriers have already been notified of the decision.
"We informed them five months ago so that they can reschedule their take-off and landing timings and the passengers do not face any trouble."
We hope this would not cause much trouble, he added.
But people having knowledge on the issue said that it would definitely create trouble for the passengers when flight operations at a major airport remain suspended for eight hours daily for six months. However, they said the runway repair would bring some benefits.
Former board member of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines Kazi Wahidul Alam told, "There will be no flight operations for one-third of a day and most of the international airlines land here in Dhaka around midnight or afterwards. So, there is every possibility of a chaotic situation at the airport."
"It is not clear whether the authorities have any plan to avoid possible disorder and passengers' sufferings. I think it would have been better if they have consulted the foreign airlines before taking such decision."
When his attention was drawn to this CAAB Director Nazmul Anam said, "If we don't repair the runway it may cause accident, so it is urgent. We've informed all the airlines five months earlier so that they can plan accordingly."
"There could be some rush if two or more flights land around the same time. So the people who work at ground handling, immigration, customs and other sections will have to be more active. And since, flights would not be operating at night, the work schedule of the employees would be rearranged."
He added that a plan would be finalised by August to this end.
Meanwhile, the renovation work of the airport would start from Aug 1.
CAAB said that following the implementation of the Tk 5.3 billion renovation project with assistance from by the Danish government, Shahjalal Airport would be upgraded to category-2 of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO)'s airport grading.
It signed a deal on July 11 with Danish contractors Munck Asphalt to carry out the modernisation project.
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