Shahjalal International Airport

Hazrat Shahjalal
International Airport
হযরত শাহ্জালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দর
Summary
Airport type Public / Military
Owner Bangladesh Government
Operator Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh
Serves Dhaka
Location Kurmitola
Hub for
Elevation AMSL 27 ft / 8 m
Coordinates 23°50′34″N 090°24′02″E / 23.84278°N 90.40056°E / 23.84278; 90.40056 (Shah Jalal International Airport)Coordinates: 23°50′34″N 090°24′02″E / 23.84278°N 90.40056°E / 23.84278; 90.40056 (Shah Jalal International Airport)
Website hsia.gov.bd
Map
DAC
Location of airport in Bangladesh
Runways
Direction Length Surface
m ft
14/32 3,300 11,500 Asphalt
Statistics (2018)
Passenger movements 11,462,580
Cargo handled (tonnes) 497,810
Source: Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh[1][2]

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, (Bengali: হযরত শাহ্‌জালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দর Hôzrôt Shahjalal Antôrjatik Bimanbôndôr) (IATA: DAC, ICAO: VGHS (old: VGZR)), is the largest and most prominent international airport in Bangladesh. It is located in Kurmitola 11 miles (17 kilometres) in the northern part of the capital city Dhaka and it is also a part of BAF Bangabandhu Base used by the Bangladesh Air Force. The airport has an area of 1,981 acres (802 ha). The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) operates and maintains the airport. It started operations in 1980, taking over from Tejgaon Airport as the principal international airport of the country and was formerly known as Dacca International Airport and later as Zia International Airport, before being named in honour of Shah Jalal, who is one of the most respected Sufi saints of Bangladesh. The IATA code of the airport "DAC" is derived from "Dacca", which is the previously used spelling for "Dhaka".

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is the primary hub of the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines. In addition, it is also the main hub of most of the private airlines in Bangladesh including Regent Airways, Novoair and US-Bangla Airlines. The annual passenger handling capacity of the airport is 18.5 million passengers[3][4] and this passenger handling capacity is predicted by CAAB to be sufficient until 2026.[5] In 2014 the airport handled 9.1 million passengers and 248,000 tonnes of cargo.[6] Average aircraft movement per day is around 190 flights.[7][8] Ground handling at the airport is provided by Biman Ground Handling, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of the national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines.[9]

Location and access

The airport is located in Kurmitola, 11 NM (20 km; 13 mi) north of the capital Dhaka.[10] It can be accessed by the eight-lane Airport Road.[10] To the north of the airport lies Uttara and Gazipur, while Dhaka city lies to its south. There is a railway station immediately opposite to the airport named Airport Railway Station.[11][12] The hotel nearest to the airport is the Dhaka Radisson Blu Hotel, closely followed by Le Meridien Hotel and Dhaka Regency Hotel.[13] A Best Western hotel opened in late 2014.[14] The airport has been almost engulfed by the city, due to the expansion and development work of real estate companies and the government, prompting the authorities to consider relocating the airport elsewhere.[3]

History

International Terminal
Apron view

In 1941, during the Second World War, the British government built a landing strip at Kurmitola, several kilometres north of Tejgaon, as a spare landing strip for the Tejgaon Airport, which at the time was a military airport, to operate warplanes towards the war fields of Kohima (Assam) and Burmese war theatres.[15][16]

After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Tejgaon Airport became the first civilian airport in what was then East Pakistan, present day Bangladesh. In 1966 a project was taken by the then Pakistan Government to construct a new airport and the present site north of Kurmitola was selected. A tender was floated for the construction of the terminal building and the runway under the technical support of French experts. A rail station (present day Airport Railway Station) was also built near the site for the transportation of construction materials. However, the new airstrip was only halfway done when the Bangladesh Liberation War broke out in 1971. During war, the airstrip suffered severe damage.

After independence, the government of Bangladesh restarted works abandoned by the previous contractors and consultants during the war. The government decided to make the airport the country's main international airport and appointed Aéroports de Paris of France as its new consultants. The airport began operations in 1980 after the main runway and central portion of the present terminal building was formally opened by then President Ziaur Rahman as Dacca International Airport ("Dacca" is the former spelling of "Dhaka").[17][18] The project took a further three years to complete, during which time Ziaur Rahman was assassinated in 1981. Thus after its completion in 1983, then President Abdus Sattar re-inaugurated the airport as Zia International Airport.[19] In 2010, the government changed the airport's name once again, from Zia International Airport to Shahjalal International Airport, in honour of Shah Jalal, one of the most respected Sufi saints of Bangladesh.[20]

On 6 December 2011, a Boeing 787 Dreamliner (flight ZA006) stopped for refuelling at Shahjalal International Airport during a distance, speed, and endurance record attempt. This aircraft, powered by General Electric GEnx engines, had flown 10,710 nautical miles (19,830 km) non-stop from Boeing Field in Seattle, Washington eastward to Shahjalal International Airport, setting a new world distance record for aircraft in the weight class of the 787, which is between 440,000 pounds (200,000 kg) and 550,000 pounds (250,000 kg). This flight surpassed the previous distance record of 9,127 nautical miles (16,903 km), set in 2002 by an Airbus A330. The Boeing 787 Dreamliner aircraft then continued eastbound from Dhaka to return to Boeing Field, setting a world-circling speed record of 42 hours, 27 minutes.[21]

Development and expansion

In 1992, the airport terminal area experienced rapid expansion with addition of boarding bridges and equipment. A multistorey car park with space for 500 cars was also built at this time.

The airport has been set up and upgraded with technology and instruments worth BDT 70 million up to the 2nd quarter of 2012, by the CAAB. They include: instrument landing system, distance measuring equipment and flight calibration system, which will help the operational standards of the airport. 2 more boarding bridges have been operational, and another is under manufacturing. Asphalt runway overlay began in December 2012 by the Bangladeshi company Abdul Monem Ltd; it took 6 months to complete. Further improvements in the taxiway and runway lighting system will be made by funds from Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) worth BDT 4.5 billion. Further projects include: primary and secondary radar, a new control tower and a modern drainage system.[7][22] Parking facilities are being upgraded, both for passenger and cargo aircraft, of the airport extension works of passenger and cargo aprons are also going on.[8] The project will cost BDT 440 million and will provide facility to park four wide-bodied passenger aircraft and two wide-bodied cargo aircraft side by side.[8] In recent years CAAB has completed modernisation and beautification of two terminal buildings; constructed five aircraft parking bays; Installed two more boarding bridges; re-installed power plant to ensure 24 hours power supply; added more passenger check-in and immigration counters and baggage conveyor belts.[8]

In the recent years, the internal designs such as concourse, toilets and others parts were also upgraded. The duty-free shops brought in international luxury branded products. As part of the development plan, the first international chain cafe, Barista Lavazza was opened in the international terminal in 2014 followed by Krispy Kreme in 2017.

Second runway

A feasibility study is underway to decide about adding a parallel, second runway at a cost of BDT 10 billion by 2014.[8] The project has been taken to cope with the rising air traffic, and take pressure off the lone runway, to double the capacity of the airport. CAAB predicts that the airport's traffic will surpass 10 million passengers and freight. Currently, the airport can handle 10 flights an hour, 1 per 6 minutes. However, 60% of the airport's 2000 acre land remains unutilised.[23]

Terminals

The airport consists of three major terminals, T1 and T2 for international flights and a third terminal (known as Domestic Terminal) for domestic flights. In T1 and T2, the ground floor is used as the arrivals hall and the upper floor serves as the departures hall. Both the arrivals hall and the departures hall are on the same floor in the one-storey domestic terminal. A VIP terminal is built only about 200 meters from the main gate and is only used occasionally. A third international terminal is planned for construction.[8]

Airlines and destinations

Passenger

AirlinesDestinations
Air Arabia Sharjah
AirAsia Kuala Lumpur–International
Air IndiaKolkata
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Abu Dhabi, Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Barisal, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Dammam, Doha, Dubai–International, Jeddah, Jessore, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur–International, Kuwait, London–Heathrow, Medina, Muscat, Rajshahi, Riyadh, Saidpur, Singapore, Sylhet, Yangon
Cathay Dragon Hong Kong
China Eastern Airlines Kunming
China Southern Airlines Guangzhou
Druk AirParo
Emirates Dubai–International
Gulf Air Bahrain
IndiGo Kolkata
Jet Airways Delhi, Kolkata, Mumbai
Kuwait Airways Kuwait
Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur–International
Maldivian Chennai, Malé
Malindo Air Kuala Lumpur–International
Novoair Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Jessore, Kolkata, Rajshahi, Saidpur, Sylhet
Pakistan International Airlines Karachi
Qatar Airways Doha
Regent Airways Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Dammam, Doha, Jessore, Kathmandu, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur–International, Muscat, Saidpur, Singapore, Sylhet
SalamAir Muscat
Saudia Dammam, Jeddah, Medina, Riyadh
Scoot Singapore
Singapore Airlines Singapore
SpiceJet Kolkata
SriLankan Airlines Colombo
Thai Airways Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi
Thai Lion Air Bangkok–Don Mueang[24]
Turkish Airlines Istanbul–Atatürk
US-Bangla Airlines Bangkok–Suvarnabhumi, Barisal, Chittagong, Cox's Bazar, Doha, Dubai-International, Guangzhou, Jeddah, Jessore, Kolkata, Kuala Lumpur-International, Muscat, Rajshahi, Saidpur, Singapore, Sylhet

Cargo

Terminal interior
Terminal interior
AirlinesDestinations
Cargolux ItaliaMilan-Malpensa
China Airlines Cargo Hanoi, Taipei-Taoyuan
Cathay Pacific CargoHong Kong
Emirates Sky Cargo Dubai–Al Maktoum
Etihad Cargo Abu Dhabi[25]
FitsAirBangalore, Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi, Colombo, Lahore
Korean Air CargoHanoi, Seoul-Incheon
Lufthansa CargoFrankfurt, Mumbai
MartinairAmsterdam, Delhi
MASKargoKuala Lumpur-International
Midex AirlinesAl Ain
Qatar Airways Cargo Doha, Kuwait, Muscat
Saudia Cargo Dammam, Jeddah, Riyadh
Singapore Airlines Cargo Singapore
Silk Way AirlinesBaku, Tashkent
TransGlobal AirwaysClark, Fujairah
Turkish Airlines Cargo Almaty, Bishkek, Ho Chi Minh City, Istanbul-Ataturk, Karachi

Accidents and incidents

  • On 28 September 1977, a Japan Airlines Flight 472 en route from Mumbai to Tokyo was hijacked by 5 Japanese Red Army terrorists shortly after takeoff, and forced the plane to land at then Zia International Airport.[26] The terrorists' demand of $6 million and release of 6 JRA terrorists from Japanese prison was met by the Japanese Prime Minister.[27] Bangladesh Air Force was deployed to control the situation in the ground and to facilitate negotiations.[26]

References

  1. ↑ "Aerodrome Information: Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka". Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh.
  2. ↑ "Aerodrome Information: Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka (continued)". Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh.
  3. 1 2 Ahmad, Rashiduddin (29 September 2010). "New airport at Trishal: Flight of fancy or urban nightmare?". The Daily Star. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  4. ↑ Byron, Rejaul Karim (28 August 2010). "New int'l airport to cost Tk 50,000cr". The Daily Star. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  5. ↑ "AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT HISTORY". Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  6. ↑ "CAAB initiates efforts to expand and upgrade HSIA To build a new airport for Dhaka". The Bangladesh Monitor. 1 April 2015. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  7. 1 2 "Shahjalal airport set for upgrade in two months". Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  8. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "CAAB initiates efforts to expand, upgrade HSIA to elevate its international standing". The Bangladesh Monitor. 1 July 2013. Retrieved 21 July 2013.
  9. ↑ "Ground Handling". Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Retrieved 1 February 2014.
  10. 1 2 "Dhaka – Airports". World Executive. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  11. ↑ "From Sylhet to Dhaka Airport by train". Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  12. ↑ Dhaka Airport Road. Google Maps.
  13. ↑ Dhaka Regency Hotel.
  14. ↑ "Best Western International Signs Deal to Open Hotel at Dhaka Airport in Bangladesh". PRWeb. 14 November 2013. Retrieved 22 November 2013.
  15. ↑ Ahmed, Ershad (16 November 2006). "Zia International Airport, Dhaka".
  16. ↑ Uddin, Syed Mohd Saleh (2012). "Airports". In Islam, Sirajul; Jamal, Ahmed A. Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.). Asiatic Society of Bangladesh.
  17. ↑ "Dhaka". Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  18. ↑ Dhaka City :: everything about our city
  19. ↑ "ZIA made Shahjalal International Airport". Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  20. ↑ "ZIA made Shahjalal International Airport". The Daily Star. 16 February 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
  21. ↑ "Boeing". Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  22. ↑ "Runway rebuilding work begins at Shahjalal airport". Retrieved 4 June 2015.
  23. ↑ "Feasibility study on 2nd runway at HSIA by June next year". The Financial Express. 24 May 2012. Retrieved 6 September 2012.
  24. ↑ "Thai Lion Air adds Dhaka service from Oct 2018". routesonline. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 17 September 2018.
  25. ↑ arabianaerospace.com - Etihad Cargo introduces new freighter network 21 September 2018
  26. 1 2 "JAL 1977 plane hijack in Dhaka: Japanese filmmaker to make documentary". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  27. ↑ "Japanese Red Army member's life sentence to stand". Japan Times. 15 September 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
  28. ↑ "49 Die in Bangladesh As Plane Plunges". The New York Times. Reuters. 4 August 1984. Retrieved 23 January 2008.

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