The government has taken an initiative to transform Shah Amanat International Airport into a full regional aviation hub with an estimated cost of 300 million dollars. The project involves expanding the runway, building a transit center, and constructing a cargo village to connect Chattogram directly with Asia and the Middle East.
Shah Amanat International Airport handled 977,000 international passengers in 2023, and passenger numbers remained near 1 million by 2025. According to aviation sources, the airport mostly served Middle Eastern routes due to infrastructure limits that cut off direct flights to eastern economic powers.
Chattogram Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Mohammad Amirul Huq sent a letter to Finance and Planning Adviser Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury on 15 August 2026 to propose the development. Following this request, the government and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) prepared a preliminary development project proposal named the Chattogram Regional Air Hub Project.
The project draft shows the current runway length of 2,940 meters will increase to 3,600 meters. Narrow-body parking stands will total 11, and wide-body stands will total 8. Annual passenger capacity will increase from 50 lakh to between 80 lakh and 1 crore.
Boarding bridges will increase from two to six, and four of these will suit wide-body aircraft. A separate transit center will cost 10 million dollars. These upgrades will allow large aircraft like the Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Airbus A330, and Airbus A350 to land.
Cargo handling capacity is a key priority for the new project. The first phase will build infrastructure to manage 75,000 to 100,000 tons of goods. A new cargo village will include cold-chain management and bonded warehouses to support perishable agricultural items and pharmaceuticals.
The total project cost stands at roughly 300 million dollars. The first phase will draw about 250 million dollars from public and partner funds. The Economic Relations Division (ERD) has asked the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for a loan of about 175 million dollars, while the government and CAAB will provide 75 million dollars.
Mohammad Amirul Huq told BSS that the project is a historic decision that will change local trade and boost the national economy. China has emerged as an economic power, and Chinese investors work in industrial zones across Chattogram and Cox’s Bazar. Direct flights will support this trade relationship.
Chattogram Aviation Club President Md Asif Chowdhury told BSS that the airport needs competitive services alongside infrastructure. He noted that the airport should operate 24 hours a day and offer competitive landing charges and jet fuel prices to attract foreign airlines.
Shah Amanat International Airport Director Group Captain Mohammad Noor Hossain told BSS that an airport becomes a true hub when aircraft get complete support like hotels, fuel, and maintenance. He added that technical stopovers are a realistic first step to attract international airlines.