Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh

autonomous · verified (verified 2026-05-17)

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Head: Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq
Role: Chairman
Annual budget: —
Staff: 3769
Established: 1985
Legal basis: Civil Aviation Authority Act, 2017 (Act No. 3 of 2017), assented by the President on 5 February 2017; originally constituted under Civil Aviation Authority Ordinance, 1985 (Ordinance No. XXXVIII of 1985); operates under Civil Aviation Ordinance, 1960 and Civil Aviation Rules, 1984 as the aeronautical authority of Bangladesh.

CAAB is navigating three simultaneous pressure points: (1) finalising a commercial deal with the Japanese consortium to open the completed but idle HSIA Third Terminal -- agreement signing, ORAT test run, and inauguration will take at least 18-24 months from deal signing; (2) managing Cox's Bazar airport's suspended international status while a Tk 1,794-crore runway extension project (9,000 feet target) proceeds toward a December 2026 completion; and (3) rolling out the newly inaugurated Tk 942-crore Thales ATMC across all regional airports to lift airspace surveillance capacity.

Recent activity

2026-02-16 international Following the BNP government taking office on February 17, 2026, CAAB and the Ministry of Civil Aviation resumed stalled negotiations with the Japanese consortium (Japan Airport Terminal Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Sojitz Corporation, and Narita International Airport Corporation) over operating the HSIA Third Terminal. The consortium submitted a revised lower-cost proposal addressing Bangladesh's concerns on service charges, operational control, and revenue sharing that had suspended talks under the interim Yunus administration. ↗↗
2026-04-03 international Senior Bangladeshi ministers met Japanese delegation led by Nakayama Rieko, Assistant Vice Minister of Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism (MLIT), at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Dhaka. The high-level meeting focused on resolving outstanding differences on the HSIA Third Terminal's operational model, revenue sharing, and service charges. State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat expressed optimism; the terminal (built at Tk 21,399 crore, financed largely by JICA, designed for 12-16 million additional passengers per year) has remained idle for approximately 15 months, with the delay estimated to have cost Tk 8,000 crore in foregone revenue. ↗↗↗
2026-04-20 other Civil Aviation Minister Afroza Khanam, State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, and CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq inaugurated the new Air Traffic Management Centre (ATMC) at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The system, supplied by French company Thales (Thales Ground Master 403M radar), was contracted in 2019 and completed in December 2025 at a cost of Tk 942 crore under a government-to-government arrangement. The ATMC places the entire national airspace and Bay of Bengal approaches under real-time radar surveillance; navigation and radar equipment was also installed at Sylhet Osmani and Chattogram Shah Amanat airports as part of the same project. ↗↗↗
2026-04-27 regulation CAAB Chairman Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq announced enhanced security measures at all eight airports nationwide following an alert from police headquarters warning of a possible militant attack using firearms or explosives against key installations including airports. Additional personnel were deployed at entry points, terminal areas, and sensitive installations, particularly at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. ↗↗↗
2026-05-01 other CAAB Chairman inspected the Hajj camp and HSIA to review preparations for Hajj 2026 operations, stressing improved service quality and inter-agency coordination. Approximately 78,500 Bangladeshi pilgrims are scheduled to depart on 207 pre-Hajj flights operated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Saudia, and Flynas from three airports: Hazrat Shahjalal (Dhaka, main hub), Shah Amanat (Chattogram, from April 19, 2026), and Osmani (Sylhet, primarily return routes). ↗↗

Provenance & notes

CAAB was constituted in 1985 under Ordinance No. XXXVIII of 1985; its current statutory basis is the Civil Aviation Authority Act, 2017 (Act No. 3 of 2017). It operates Bangladesh's 8 airports: 3 international (HSIA Dhaka, Shah Amanat Chattogram, Osmani Sylhet) and 5 domestic (Cox's Bazar, Saidpur, Jessore, Rajshahi, Barisal). Sanctioned establishment: 3,769 posts (392 officers, 3,377 staff) plus approximately 915 daily-basis temporary employees. annual_budget_bdt omitted: CAAB budget is embedded across multiple ADP project allocations and not disclosed as a standalone operating figure in accessible public sources. Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq assumed office on July 3, 2025, appointed by the Ministry of Public Administration on July 2, 2025. HSIA Third Terminal: built at Tk 21,399 crore, largely JICA-financed; Japanese consortium is Japan Airport Terminal Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Sojitz Corporation, Narita International Airport Corporation; idle since construction completion in late 2024; deal signing expected mid-2026 at earliest, with inauguration 12-18 months after that (December 2026 government target is aspirational per The Daily Star). Cox's Bazar: international status gazette issued October 13, 2025, suspended 11 days later; runway extension to 9,000 feet (from 6,775 feet) targeted December 2026. ATC: Thales ATMC Tk 942 crore project inaugurated April 20, 2026; nationwide radar coverage now includes Bay of Bengal approaches. Revival of 5-6 defunct airports (Bogura, Ishwardi, Thakurgaon, Shamshernagar, Cumilla, Lalmonirhat) under ministerial review. Verification: 2+ primary sources cross-checked for all key claims.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh

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