Shahjalal airport: Sophisticated radar system to be launched soon

The government is going to install sophisticated radar and navigation system at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, says the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), adding the facility is likely to be launched at the end of this year.

According to the CAAB, the entire airspace of the country will be under its surveillance. With benefiting the country financially, it will also facilitate the movements of the aircraft.

It is learnt that the existing radar and navigation system of the airport was installed in 1980, for which it cannot track the country’s entire airspace, particularly the area over the Bay of Bengal. As a result, the country is being deprived of receiving a fee of USD 500 as 'flying over charge' from foreign aircraft, using the country’s airspace for once.

The CAAB says though the facility is likely to be launched at the end of this year, it will take time up to the next year to be operational in full swing. Since then the country will be able to collect the charges from the foreign airlines.