HSIA advanced radar 80% complete, revenue to rise

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is installing a state-of-the-art radar following international standards. The radar installation work has already reached around 80 per cent completion.

Due to this new radar being built at the cost of about Tk 700 crore, the entire airspace of the country can be monitored, along with the maritime border. Airspace surveillance and control capabilities of Bangladesh will reach international standards, officials say.

Apart from this, the revenue income from the aircrafts operating throughout the country's airspace will also increase, said the civil aviation authorities and stakeholders.

Speaking to The Business Post, aviation expert Kazi Wahedul Alam said, “We used to lose out on a lot of revenue because our old radar could not cover our entire airspace. Installation of the new radars will increase our capacity and help boost revenue.”

Industry insiders say the number of air passengers have more than doubled in the last twenty years. About 300 international and domestic flights take off and land in HSIA. The number will increase once the airport 3rd terminal gets ready for operation.

Two radars were installed at Dhaka and Chattogram airports around four decades ago.

Currently, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) had to struggle to control the entire airspace of the country. Along with that, the sea limit increased to more than 200 nautical miles. So, to keep up with the times, the need for advanced technology radars arises.

Speaking to The Business Post, CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman said, “Our airspace surveillance capabilities are currently low. So, some traffic was controlled from our neighboring countries.

“Since we are not getting the whole airspace, we are moving to a new radar system. Already our radar installation work is almost 80 per cent completed.”

At the soft opening ceremony of HSIA’s 3rd terminal, the prime minister had said, “Dhaka's Shahjalal Airport will be an international hub for air communication. Here the planes of all the countries of the world will come and refuel.

“The 3rd terminal – will be fully ready for operation in October this year – of this airport has been developed accordingly.”

To become a hub in the region, the CAAB signed in October, 2021 an agreement with France's Thales LAS to set up multi-mode radar with the Communication, Navigation and Surveillance Air Traffic Management (CNS-ATM) system at HSIA.

The CAAB's self-funded radar is already sending and receiving signals. Once the radar is fully operational, the country's airspace will be one of the safest aviation routes. It will also increase revenue.

CAAB Chairman Mofidur said, “We want to be the hub in this region. To do this, we need to improve and modernise our air traffic control system. We are getting the management of this radar under automation.

“This will allow us to control more aircraft traffic across the country. It is a modern management system.”

He added, “We are building a tower in HSIA to install the radar. This work will be completed in May. This radar will provide security to the entire airspace, including the newly acquired maritime border.

“For that we are installing some satellite sensors at different places. After the completion of their installation, their integration will be done.”

Mofidur then said, “Through this, we will be able to see how many aircrafts are moving through the airspace of Bangladesh, and we will be able to control them. It will take this year to complete the entire process.

“We are also creating manpower to control and operate it. All those involved are being trained.”

According to industry insiders, in accordance with international law, the aircrafts have to pay a minimum of $500 to countries for using their air space to reach the destination. But Bangladesh, a country of 56,000 square miles, is probably not getting all the air fares.

After five decades of independence, civil aviation has raised this question. Because, the organisation does not get direct information about any flight other than Dhaka and Chattogram city. India and Myanmar are earning from radar coverage in these areas.

In this regard, CAAB Chairman Mofidur said, “This is not right that we do not get flying over charges. Since we do not have full airspace capacity, we do not have control in some cases.

“But soon we will be able to control our own sky limits. We will know how many times the aircrafts have passed through our sky. We will be able to see and communicate with the plane. By improving the quality of our control system, more planes will cross the airspace, which will increase our revenue.”

Echoing the same, US-Bangla Airlines General Manager (Public Relations) Kamrul Islam said, “We used to face several difficulties earlier. So, we were waiting for something better. And the radar is not only for private airlines, but all those who fly in Bangladesh will benefit from it.

“The sooner it can be launched the better things will be for us.”