Govt radar purchase to secure country's airspace

To secure the country's airspace, the government is going to install a state-of-the-art radar system at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority and French radar maker Thales LAS signed an agreement in this regard at the Hotel Intercontinental in the capital on Thursday.

Civil Aviation Authority Chairman, Air Vice Marshal Md Mofidur Rahman, and Thales LAS Vice-Chairman Mr Nicholas, signed the agreement on behalf of their respective organizations. State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, Mohammad Mahbub Ali, and French Ambassador to Bangladesh, Jean Marin, were also present at the signing.

Chief guest at the event, Minister Mahbub Ali said the new sophisticated radar would bring the entire airspace of the country under surveillance. He said this would make it possible to identify all foreign aircraft traveling on international routes across the skies of Bangladesh, and overflight fees can be collected from them. With the installation of these new and sophisticated radar and ATC towers, the country's airspace will be more secure, aviation will be safer, and the country's aviation revenues will increase.

He said, "Today we are witnessing a major step forward in the development of the aviation sector. With the installation of this project, more communication, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management equipment will be installed, in addition to the radar and ATC towers. This will remove the current technical constraints on air navigation in the country and also meet the obligations of international airlines. The country's air navigation will be timely and of international standard.

The state minister said the present government is working for the development of Bangladesh, giving importance to the aviation sector. Under the strong leadership and guidance of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, the aviation sector of the country is developing and becoming international. The scope of air connectivity of the country is increasing through development and prosperity.

"Work is underway to expand aviation infrastructure across the country, increase passenger service, improve technical and public skills, and ensure safe and smooth aviation. As part of this, various development projects have already been completed in all the airports of the country and the work of some more groundbreaking development projects, including construction of the state-of-the-art third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, is progressing at a fast pace," he added.

Notably, this project adopted by the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority for modernisation of communication, navigation, surveillance, and air traffic management, was approved by the Cabinet Committee on Public Procurement on 8 August this year.