After a break of 17 years, Ishwardi airport will resume service on October 30 with private airliner United Airways operating flights first on the Dhaka-Ishwardi route.
Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh on Wednesday sent a letter to United Airways in this regard, officials concerned said. The letter, signed by ATS and Aerodrome deputy director Mohammad Abul Kashem, said that the authority had decided to launch service on the route from October 30.
United Airways authorities had been asked to take necessary steps to operate flights on the Dhaka-Ishwardi route.
Md Kamrul Islam, assistant managing director (public relations) of United Airways, told New Age that they had received the letter from the CAAB asking them to launch service.
He said, ‘We will operate the first flight on the Dhaka-Ishwardi route on October 30.
The airport runway is fit for take-off and landing of ATR-72 or DASH-8 aircraft. So, we have decided to operate the first flight with DASH-8.’
The officials said that the CAAB had taken initiative to reopen Ishwardi airport, which had been abandoned for 17 years, aiming to expand the operations on domestic routes.
The maintenance of runway, apron and terminal building had already been accomplished. Besides, the air traffic control tower and other machinery had also been installed.
At present, administrative and security officials were working at the airport, but CAAB ATS and aerodrome and air traffic control officials would join their work within next few days.
The officials informed that civil aviation and tourism minister Faruk Khan would inaugurate the airport on October 30.
The airport set up on 412 acres of land in 1960 was destroyed during the war of liberation and remained closed for years.
After repairing, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, operated flights on the route in different times. Eventually, the airport was closed down on November 3, 1996.
-With New Age input
