$300 Million Plan to Put Chattogram on the Regional Air Map
The government has taken an initiative to develop Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram into a regional aviation hub by 2035, with an estimated investment of around $300 million to expand the runway, add wide-body aircraft facilities and increase passenger capacity, while key financing is still being sought.
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In a Nutshell
- The proposed Chittagong Regional Air Hub Project estimates total investment at around $300 million according to a report by BSS.
- The runway would be extended from 2,940 to 3,600 metres, with a parallel taxiway and rapid-exit taxiway also planned.
- Annual passenger capacity is projected to rise from 5 million to 8–10 million; plans also include 19 aircraft parking stands and four additional boarding bridges.
- A first-phase cargo village, with cold-chain facilities and bonded warehouses, is designed to handle 75,000–100,000 tonnes a year.
- The government plans to contribute $75 million. The Economic Relations Division has requested about $175 million in support from the Asian Development Bank; a further $30–50 million is proposed through public-private investment.
- Shah Amanat handled about one million international passengers in 2025. Several direct routes to China, Thailand and Singapore have been discontinued.
Context
The proposal aims to use Chattogram’s location, seaport and economic zones to build direct air links across South and Southeast Asia, the Middle East and China. A dedicated transit centre and expanded cargo facilities are part of the first phase, while the full hub development is targeted for 2035.
However, the project is still a plan, not a completed investment. The BSS report describes a Preliminary Development Project Proposal, and ADB financing has been requested. The airport’s current international traffic is about one million passengers a year, and its routes have largely served the Middle East. Airport officials say airlines also need refuelling, hotel and maintenance facilities, competitive charges and commercially viable routes for Chattogram to attract transit traffic.
Why It Matters
Chattogram already anchors Bangladesh’s trade. The port handled 3.4 million TEUs, 138 million tonnes of general cargo and 4,273 vessels in 2025, and accounts for about 92% of seaborne general cargo and 98% of containerised trade. Now an upgraded airport may add an air link to that existing role, connecting cargo, business travel and transit passengers to the port, economic zones and regional markets. Moreover, a regional aviation hub may further strengthen Bangladesh’s position in South Asia.
Biman’s planned fleet expansion may give us more capacity for international routes, while Chattogram’s proposed runway, cargo village and transit facilities offer us infrastructure to compete for regional traffic. However, it depends on finding routes that are commercially viable.
What We Think
Pitching Chattogram as an aviation hub with a $300 million plan sounds great on paper. With digital port upgrades and Biman’s growing fleet, the ambition is definitely there. But simply throwing money at new aircraft isn't a magic fix. To actually pull this off, we need seamless teamwork across customs, transport, and airlines.