Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus visited two sites of the under-construction Cox's Bazar International Airport to review the progress of the project.
On Friday (March 14), he arrived in Cox's Bazar at 12:48 pm on a chartered flight, accompanied by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. Following their arrival, Guterres proceeded directly to Ukhiya to visit the Rohingya refugee camps, where he was scheduled to attend several programs.
According to the Chief Advisor's press office, after Guterres' departure, Muhammad Yunus toured two key construction sites of the international airport.
During the visit, officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) briefed him on the project's progress and current status. A summary of the development was presented to him, outlining that 95% of the construction had been completed. The remaining work is expected to be finalized by December this year.
Once operational, the international airport is expected to handle 40 to 50 flights daily, officials informed the Chief Advisor.
The initiative to upgrade Cox's Bazar Airport to international standards was launched in 2015 by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. The project, which includes extending the existing 6,775-foot runway to 10,700 feet, has a total estimated cost of BDT 1,900 crore.
Following the inspection, Dr Muhammad Yunus and Secretary-General António Guterres will join an Iftar gathering in Ukhiya with nearly 100,000 Rohingya refugees.
After the visit and Iftar, the Chief Advisor and the UN Secretary-General will return to Dhaka in the evening.
