Group Captain Md. Nur-e-Alam, president of the International Aviation Committee of Cox’s Bazar Airport, confirmed the development while speaking to reporters on Friday (October 24).
He said, “The government has decided to postpone the earlier plan to declare Cox’s Bazar Airport as an international airport.”
Earlier, on October 12, the CA-1 branch of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism issued a circular officially declaring Cox’s Bazar Airport as an international airport. The notification, signed by Joint Secretary Ahmed Jamil, stated that the government was declaring the facility as ‘Cox’s Bazar International Airport’ under Sub-Rule 16 of the Civil Aviation Rules, 1984, and that the order would take effect immediately in the public interest.
Following that announcement, letters had already been sent to both domestic and foreign airlines regarding the start of international flight operations through Cox’s Bazar Airport from October 2.
However, with the latest government decision, the plan to launch international flight operations from Cox’s Bazar has been temporarily put on hold, leaving the future timeline for implementation uncertain.
Officials said further discussions are underway before issuing a revised directive on the airport’s international status.
