Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism

ministry · verified (verified 2026-05-17)

Profile

Head: Afroza Khanam Rita
Role: Minister
Annual budget: —
Staff: —
Established: 2015
Legal basis: Allocation of Business Rules (Government of Bangladesh); Civil Aviation Act 1960; Bangladesh Tourism Board Act 2010

Actively pursuing two interlocking priorities: unlocking HSIA Terminal 3 via a Japan consortium operations deal (talks in final phase as of April 2026, signing expected mid-2026) and modernising Biman's ageing fleet through the April 2026 USD 3.7 billion Boeing order; secondary focus on Cox's Bazar international terminal launch and revival of dormant northern airports.

Recent activity

2026-02-17 appointment Afroza Khanam Rita (BNP, Manikganj-3) sworn in as Minister and M. Rashiduzzaman Millat (BNP, Jamalpur-1) sworn in as State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism under PM Tarique Rahman's BNP cabinet. ↗↗↗
2026-03-13 international Bangladesh and Japan resumed high-level negotiations on the operation of HSIA Third Terminal; Bangladesh sought a win-win arrangement, with the Japanese consortium (Japan Airport Terminal Co., Sumitomo Corp., Sojitz Corp., Narita International Airport Corp.) submitting a revised lower-cost proposal addressing Dhaka's concerns on embarkation fees, upfront payment, and revenue sharing. ↗↗↗
2026-04-01 reform Ministry announced an airport revival master plan: closed airports at Bogura, Ishwardi, Thakurgaon, and Lalmonirhat prioritised for feasibility studies before any new airport construction; State Minister Millat stated dormant airports will be reopened first to boost northern connectivity and reduce domestic fares. ↗↗↗
2026-04-03 international High-level HSIA T3 talks held at Bangladesh Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Japanese delegation led by Assistant Vice Minister Nakayama Rieko of Japan's MLIT; Minister Afroza stated Bangladesh will protect national interest; State Minister Millat voiced optimism that the deal was close to finalisation, with signing expected to take approximately three more months if consensus reached. ↗↗↗
2026-04-15 policy Minister Afroza Khanam stated Cox's Bazar Airport will begin full international flight operations within months; runway extended from 6,775 ft to 9,000 ft to accommodate wide-body aircraft, with a further extension to 10,700 ft underway; upgraded terminal infrastructure targeting readiness by end-2026. ↗↗↗
2026-04-17 other Minister Afroza and State Minister Millat conducted final inspection of Hajj flight preparations ahead of the inaugural 2026 Hajj departure. ↗
2026-04-18 other Prime Minister Tarique Rahman inaugurated the 2026 Hajj flight season; 207 pre-Hajj flights scheduled (102 Biman, 75 Saudia, 30 Flynas) carrying approximately 78,500 pilgrims; inaugural flight departed HSIA at 12:20 AM with 419 pilgrims to Jeddah; pre-Hajj season concludes May 21, return flights run May 30 to July 1. ↗↗↗
2026-04-30 procurement Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed its largest-ever fleet order: 14 Boeing aircraft (eight 787-10 Dreamliners, two 787-9 Dreamliners, four 737-8 MAX) at an estimated list value of USD 3.7 billion; deliveries begin November 2031 through October 2035; deal also serves as a trade-gap-narrowing signal to the US administration in the context of the Bangladesh-US Reciprocal Trade Agreement. ↗↗↗
2026-05-12 statement Minister Afroza confirmed the government is taking steps to make Biman profitable; stated fleet expansion must be backed by route-based revenue and cost analysis before adding aircraft; reaffirmed Hajj operations were conducted smoothly for all 78,500 pilgrims. ↗↗↗

Provenance & notes

Ministry established December 29, 2015 as a standalone entity (previously under Prime Minister's Office). Minister Afroza Khanam Rita (born 4 April 1962) is a first-term MP from Manikganj-3 (Sadar and Saturia upazilas), won February 2026 election with 167,345 votes; her father Harunar Rashid Khan Monno was a four-term MP and former BNP minister. State Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat is MP for Jamalpur-1 (Dewanganj-Baksiganj), previously elected 2001, BNP National Executive Committee Treasurer. The HSIA Third Terminal (99% complete, ~Tk 21,398 crore, JICA-financed, soft-inaugurated October 2023) remains the dominant unresolved issue: delay costs estimated at Tk 8,000 crore in foregone revenue. Cox's Bazar carries international airport designation; full international operations targeted within months of April 2026 ministerial statement, with infrastructure upgrades ongoing. Biman's Boeing deal (signed April 30, 2026 by Biman MD/CEO Kaizer Sohel Ahmed and Boeing VP Paul Righi) has a dual character: fleet modernisation and trade-deficit reduction signal to Washington. annual_budget_bdt for MoCAT not disaggregated in publicly available FY2025-26 budget documents consulted.

Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism

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