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Voyager Bangladesh, 42-43 Treasure Island (2nd Floor), Shantinagar, Dhaka (2026)

16/05/2014

Located in Chittagong, the Shaheed Zia Smriti Complex features replicas of many of the cultural and historical treasures of Bangladesh, as well as information on the heritage and culture of the people who call this fascinating country home. Add to this the beautifully landscaped gardens featuring vegetation indigenous to the county, plus an amusement park complete with Ferris wheel, carousel, kiddies swing and paddle boats, and it is easy to see why the Shaheed Zia Smiriti Complex, often referred to as "Mini Bangladesh", is one of Chittagong's top attractions.

National monuments and noteworthy landmarks featured at the complex include a replica of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, surrounded by a large pool, with a sparkling fountain nearby. Considered to be an architectural masterpiece, Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban is located in Dhaka and serves as the National Assembly Building of Bangladesh. In addition to being home to all of the country's parliamentary activity, the building, its surrounding lake and park-like gardens are a popular tourist attraction.

Visitors will be able to view replicas of Curzon Hall, Lalbagh Fort, Ahsan Manjil, Paharpur Monastery, Choto Sona Mosque, Gazipur's Church of Saint Nicholas, Rajshahi's Baro Khuiti, and the National Martyrs' Memorial at Savar, as well as replicas of typical home of the various tribes of Bangladesh, many of whom are settled in the Chittagong Hills Tracts.

Lalbagh Fort is a 17th century Mughal palace fortress located in Dhaka and built under the direction of Prince Muhammad Azam at the time he was vice-royalty of Bengal. Also located in Dhaka, Curzon Hall was originally a project of the Viceroy of India, Lord Curzon, who planned to build a spectacular town hall for the city of Dhaka, but the partitioning of Bengal led to a change of plan and Curzon Hall became the home of Dhaka College in 1911. It is now part of the University of Dhaka, with its blend of Mughal and European design considered to be one of the city's finest examples of historic architecture.

The National Martyr's Memorial located at Savar stands as a memorial to the valor and sacrifice of all those who died in the 1971 Bangladesh Liberation War. The memorial is replicated at Chittagong's Shaheed Zia Smriti Complex, as part of the park's aim to provide a visual reminder of the heritage of Bangladesh, both for current and future generations.

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09/02/2014

Pohela Falgun, heralding the arrival of spring, the king of all seasons, is always welcomed by Dhaka residents as well as others in the country with flowers, poems, songs and dances on 13 February of the Gregorian Calendar. The capital Dhaka put on a colourful festive look celebrating the first day of Bangla month Falgun with several socio-cultural organisations and educational institutions organising a wide range of programmes marking the day. Dhaka residents attire in traditional dresses started pouring onto the streets since morning to exchange pleasantries with their near and dear ones.

Pohela Falgun, first day of Spring of Bengali month Falgun, of the Bengali calendar, celebrated in Bangladesh and West Bengal and in the other Indian states, including Assam, Tripura, Jharkhand and Orrisa. The first of Falgun usually falls on 13 February of the Gregorian Calendar This day is marked with colourful celebration and traditionally, women wear yellow saris to celebrate this day.

Falgun is the eleventh month in the Nepali and Bangla calendars and the Vikram Samvat. It marks the arrival of spring, the sixth and final season in Nepal and Bangladesh. The first day of Falgun is marked with colourful celebration of the advent of spring called Holi, known locally as Fagu.

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01/02/2014

Shaheed Minar monument built in memory of the mother language martyrs, who were killed on 21 February 1952 during the language movement. A memorial to the martyrs was built immediately after the killings, on 23 February 1952.

The planning, selection of the site and the construction work of the memorial were done on the initiative of the students of Dhaka Medical College. The small structure of the first memorial, on a base 101/2 feet high and 6 feet wide, was constructed at the spot where the shootings had taken place: the south-eastern corner of the present Shaheed Minar premises. Immediately after construction, a plate with the words ‘Shaheed Smrtistambha’ (monument in the memory of the martyrs) was affixed to the monument.

The memorial became a focal point for the city dwellers and became the symbol of protests. People thronged there in groups. The memorial was formally inaugurated by abul kalam shamsuddin, the then editor of the daily azad, on the morning of 26 February. Police cordoned the Medical College hostel that afternoon and demolished the monument. Although the monument was demolished, the Pakistani ruling coterie could not efface the memory of the martyrs. Innumerable small memorials on the same model were built all over the country, specially in the educational institutions. In 1953 the students and youth community of the country observed 21 February as ‘Shaheed Dibas’ (martyrs’ day). A replica of the memorial in red paper was installed in 1953 in the yard of the Medical College Hostel at the spot where the first memorial had been built. It was covered with a black cloth. From that symbolic Shaheed Minar, students launched their prabhat pheri (mourning procession) on 21 February for the first time that year. The following year (1954) as well the students observed Shaheed Day in a similar manner. The United Front Government assumed power on 3 April 1954.

In the Session of 9 May the government announced that, according to their commitment in the 21-point programme, the Shaheed Minar would be built. 21 February was declared as Shaheed Day and also as a public holiday. However, the United Front Government could not execute its decision as it was ousted from power on 30 May the same year. The foundation stone of the Shaheed Minar was laid for the second time on 21 February 1956 by Abu Hossain Sarkar, the then Chief Minister of East Pakistan, along with Maulana abdul hamid khan bhasani and Hasina Begum, mother of Abul Barkat, the language martyr. Simultaneously, 21 February was formally declared Shaheed Day as well as a public holiday.
In 1957, with an Awami League government in power in East Pakistan, the construction work of the Shaheed Minar commenced in the yard of the Medical College Hostel. hamidur rahman had designed a massive Shaheed Minar complex on a large tract of land. In the design there was a half-circular column as a symbol of the mother and her martyred sons standing on the dais in the main part of the monument. Many yellow and deep blue pieces of glass were to be imbedded in the column as symbols of eyes from which the rays of the sun would be reflected. Besides, there was to be a railing adorned with the Bangla alphabet in front of the monument complex and also two footprints, one red and one black, symbolising the two opposing forces. The design also included a museum, a library and a series of mural paintings. At one end there was supposed to be an eye-shaped fountain with a high undulating platform.
Based on this design, the construction work was started in November 1957. Hamidur Rahman, assisted by Novera Ahmed, supervised the construction. During this time the basement, platform and some of the columns were completed. The rails, footprints, some of the murals as well as three sculptures by Novera Ahmed were also finished. However, martial law was promulgated in 1958 and the construction was stopped. Despite this, people continued to visit the Shaheed Minar to place floral wreaths and hold meetings.
A committee formed in 1962 under the order of Azam Khan, the then Governor of East Pakistan, and headed by the Vice-Chancellor of Dhaka University, suggested extensive changes in the original design of the Shaheed Minar. Accordingly, the design was changed and the construction of the Shaheed Minar was summarily completed.
It was inaugurated on 21 February 1963 by Hasina Begum, the mother of Barkat. Though reduced and curtailed, the Shaheed Minar became the symbol of the spirit of the Language Movement in the mind of the people. During the war of liberation in 1971, the Pakistani army again demolished the Minar and placed a signboard there with the word ‘Mosque’ written on it. The mosque was not built, and in 1972, in an independent Bangladesh, initiatives were taken to construct the Shaheed Minar anew. This time also the construction was hastily completed according to the abridged design of 1963. In 1976 a new design was approved, but it was not implemented. Subsequently in 1983, the Shaheed Minar was expanded to its present dimensions.
The Shaheed Minar, with all its architectural and sculptural imperfections, still stands as a symbol of the linguistic and nationalistic struggle of Bangladeshis.

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28/01/2014

WOW!!! We got 1000 Like for our page!!!
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26/01/2014

The art of brass sculpturing dates back to the Pala dynasty around 880 AD.
Generations of Bengal craftsmen have preserved and nurtured this technique of wax/clay/brass sculpturing to make items for culinary use to religious effigies and idols for Buddhism and Hinduism. Lunch in the ancient veranda of the Banik Mansion while listening to the stories of Sukanto and his mother transports you to a world of exquisite craftsmanship, heritage and passionate commitment that has preserved this art for 200 years. Lecture and a demo on the technique on the steps of the workshops over mint tea is a real treat.

The metal craft industry in Bangladesh, particularly those producing brass and bell-metal items, is now a "sunset industry" because of the declining demand for brassware over the years caused by the massive influx of products made of steel, crystal and ceramics.
The brassware of Bangladesh reveals the high workmanship of the artisans who have handed down their craft from one generation to the other. There are household articles and utensils made out of brass and bell-metal with different shapes and sizes. The principal items of brass are water pots, dishes, bowls, cymbals and other figurines.　Artisans also make figurines of elephants and horses from brass with intricate designs.
The best metal craftsmen in the country are the members of the kansari (brazier) caste who are known for their skills in producing artworks in brass and silver. The metal brass and bell-metal craftsmanship is particularly common in Bangladesh's Dhamrai district in the outskirts of Dhaka.

But Dhamrai, a place famous for its metal craft, is fast losing its glorious past due to various challenges, according to local artisans and businessmen. A decade ago there were about a thousand families involved in this folk craft in Dhamrai, but now the figure has decreased to about one hundred. They said a decline in the demand for brassware, high prices of requisite metal and huge increase in the price of raw materials are the main threats to the industry. Prakashnath Banik, proprietor of Dhamrai Metal Arts and Crafts, told that there was a time when people from far- flung areas in Bangladesh used to ravel to Dhamrai to buy brass utensils, figurines and other decorative artworks.
But now a significant number of artisans are abandoning this vocation due to recession, and local customers are now more interested to buy cheaper substitute products, Banik lamented.　　

23/01/2014

Jamdani are among the finest muslin textiles of Bengal produced in Dhaka District, Bangladesh.

Fine Dhaka jamdani is often called Dhakaiya Jamdani . The historic production of jamdani was patronized by imperial warrants of the Mughal emperors. It adorned royalty and nobility across Asia and the Muslim world for centuries. Under British colonialism, the Bengali jamdani and muslin industries rapidly declined due to colonial import policies favoring industrially manufactured textiles.

In more recent years, the production of jamdani has witnessed a revival in Bangladesh, with jamdani saris becoming one of the most prestigious luxury fabrics of South Asia.

The traditional art of weaving jamdani has been declared by UNESCO as a masterpiece of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity.

The word Jamdani is of origin, from 'Jam' meaning flower and 'Dani' meaning a vase or a container. The earliest mention of jamdani and its development as an industry is found in Dacca.

The Jamdani weaving tradition is of Bengali origin. It is one of the most time and labor intensive forms of weaving hand loom weaving. In the first half of the nineteenth century, James Taylor described the figured or flowered jamdani; in the late nineteenth century, T. N. Mukharji referred to this fabric as jamdani muslin.

Whether figured or flowered, jamdani is a woven fabric in cotton, and it is undoubtedly one of the varieties of the finest muslin. It has been spoken of as the most artistic textile of the Bangladeshi weaver. Traditionally woven around Dhaka, Bangladesh, and created on the loom brocade, jamdani is fabulously rich in motifs. Jamdani is a fine muslin cloth on which decorative motifs are woven on the loom, typically in grey and white.
Often a mixture of cotton and gold thread were/was used.

About 300 A.D. Kautilya, in his book Artha shastra, referred to this fine cloth and said it was made in Pundra (now Bangladesh). Arab, Chinese and Italian traders had also given detailed account of this fabric coming from what is now Bangladesh. Around that time a similar fabric was made in Mosul, Iraq, called Mousoulin. The Arab geographer Sulaiman mentions that Mousoulin fabric was developed simultaneously in Bengal and was called muslin. In his well known book Sril Silat-ut-Tawarikh he wrote jamdani design was stitched on muslin fabric in Rumy, which is the ancient name of Bangladesh.

When the Morrocan traveler Ibn Batuta visited Bangladesh in the 14th century he also saw the jamdani made here and praised its quality. An English traveler, Ralph Finch, also spoke highly about muslin and jamdani made in Sonargoan, near Dhaka. The fabric, however, attained its zenith during the reign of Akbar, the great Mughal Emperor. It had by then become such a sought after item that the British East India Company who came in later had to post a high official in Dhaka to buy mulmul khas. He was called the "Daroga-Mulmul." He was commissioned to also supervise the production of jamdani in each weaving factory.

Though mostly used for saris, Jamdani is also used for scarves and handkerchiefs.
Jamdani is believed to be a fusion of the ancient cloth-making techniques of Bengal (perhaps 2,000 years old) with the muslins produced by Bengali Muslims since the 14th century. Jamdani is the most expensive product of Dhaka looms since it requires the most lengthy and dedicated work. Jamdani patterns are mostly of geometric, plant, and floral designs and are said to originate in Persian and Mughal fusion thousands of years ago. Due to the exquisite painstaking methodology required, only aristocrats and royal families were able to afford such luxuries.

We do not know exactly when jamdani came to be adorned with floral patterns of the loom. It is, however, certain that in the Mughal period, most likely during the reign of either Emperor Akbar (1556–1605) or Emperor Jahangir (1605–1627), the figured or flowered muslin came to be known as the jamdani. Forbes Watson in his most valuable work titled Textile Manufactures and Costumes of the people of India holds that the figured muslins, because of their complicated designs, were always considered the most expensive productions of the Dhaka looms.

Thus jamdani designs depict arrangement of flowers sewn with fine threads on muslin.
When the surface of the muslin fabric is sewn with diagonally striped floral sprays, the jamdani is popularly known as "Terchha." The most exquisite design is "Panna Hazaar" (a thousand emeralds), where the floral pattern is highlighted with gold and silver threads. There are other coveted designs such as the "Kalka" and "Phulwar."
The peculiarity of jamdani is the geometric design. The weavers do not draw the design before hand on paper. They work on the design from their memory, and express their creative genius.

From the middle of the 19th century, there was a gradual decline in the jamdani industry. A number of factors contributed to this decline. The subsequent import of lower quality, but cheaper yarn from Europe, started the decline. Most importantly, the decline of Mughal power in India, deprived the producers of jamdani of their most influential patrons. Villages like Madhurapur and Jangalbari, (both in the Kishoreganj district), once famous for the jamdani industry went into gradual oblivion.

22/01/2014

Jaykali Temple a Hindu Temple, located at Thataribazar in Dhaka. The temple is actually a set of two temples established together. One is the temple of goddess Kali and the other of god Shiva. The later is basically a monastery (Math) with an octagonal conical-shaped tower of about 21m height. The roof of the tower is vertically divided into seven parts and those were decorated with various designs. The lowest part was designed like a roof of the traditional thatched house where idols were setup. Finishing of the statues was not perfect as unskilled artisans built those.

Perhaps the construction workers themselves took the responsibilities to make the statues. The next part contains a design of a thatched house roof depicting motifs of inverted bell and expanded hood of serpent. The design of next three upper parts is similar. The top part is decorated with the design of foliage and flowers. On the top of the tower, a metal pitcher with a trident on its head was set up. The European church architecture influenced the architect of the Shiva temple to deign and build up the conical-shaped tower and of the god Shiva is installed inside the shrine.
The shape Kali temple is rectangular and the roof is designed by five jewels namely Ruby, Diamond, Coral, Shaffire and Pearl. It has an anteroom (garvagriha) and a mandap-roofed terrace for assembling the worshippers with four sides open. Generally idols are installed in the garvagriha in all these shrines but exceptionally the image of goddess Kali of this temple was set up in the mandap. There is a different opinion which says the structure might be reinstalled from the anteroom to the present position later. At present, there are three Shivalingas (phalluses or ph**li) in the anteroom. Beside the anteroom, a new passage to enter the shrine has been constructed. The architelctural deign of the Kali shrine was the replication of Five Jewel Temple (Pancharatna Mandir), a popular architectural form of Five Jewel Temple developed in Bengal as it derived from the traditional thatched roof. This tradition was dominating in designing of Jewel Temples in East Bengal, while such temples with tower design became prominent in West Bengal. Four corner towers of the temple was designed and constructed following this traditional school of architecture. But the central tower was designed as conical-shaped. Roof of the temple was built over the anteroom and it looks like a gumbad from the interior. An archway to enter the shrine from the mandap to the anteroom was there, but it has been shut down later.
It is beleived that in the late eighteenth century or in early nineteenth century Dewan Tulshinarayan Ghosh and Naranarayan Ghosh founded the Joykali Temple. The Shiva shrine was also founded at the same time. Besides. In the Kali Temple, idols of goddes Kali, Banadurga and Laxminarayan, Shivalinga, Shalgram Chakra (wheel) were installed. On the other hand, guesthouses and other logistic services for the worshippers were set up in the Shiva temple. The local Zamindars donated property having an annual income of Rupees 1200 to meet up the expenditure of worship-rituals, maintenance of temples and idols, food and accommodation of the guests. After the tenure of third priest Panchananda, the zamindars confiscated the temples and brought those under there direct control as a property endowed for defraying the cost of worshipping. With the passage of time, some of the architectural features of three shrines were destroyed.

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21/01/2014

Bangladesh is a place of beautiful views, and it is a place famed for the quantity and quality of its poetry.

The production of pottery is one of the most ancient arts. The oldest known body of pottery dates from the Jomon period (from about 10,500 to 400 BC) in Japan; and even the earliest Jomon pottery exhibit a unique sophistication of technique and design.
Excavations in the Near East have revealed that primitive fired-clay vessels were made there more than 8,000 years ago. Potters were working in Iran by about 5500 BC, and earthenware was probably being produced even earlier on the Iranian high plateau.
Chinese potters had developed characteristic techniques by about 5000 BC. In the New World many pre-Columbian American cultures developed highly artistic pottery traditions. The Indian sub-continent including the area which includes Bangladesh was also famous for pottery.

From third century B. C. and twelfth century A. D. pottery, terra cotta figurines and plaques were most abundant in Bangladesh (Mahmud. F.,(1987). The earliest specimens of pottery are those of the Northern Black Polished Ware. This pottery spread into Bangladesh from the north later than fourth century B. C.

Regardless of time or place, basic pottery techniques have varied little except in ancient America, where the potter's wheel was unknown. Among the requisites of success are correct composition of the clay body by using balanced materials; skill in shaping the wet clay on the wheel or pressing it into molds; and, most important, firing at the correct temperature. The last operation depends vitally on the experience, judgment, and technical skill of the potter.

The great ceramic tradition of Bangladesh unfolds in the context of geology. From the world's tallest mountains, mighty rivers roll to the sea. Their silt has built the world's widest delta. The earth of the delta is heaped into mounds that hold the villages above the flood. It is planted to rice so that people might eat. It is shaped and baked into vessels so that water can be carried, food can be cooked, and people can get though another long day.

There are six hundred and eighty villages dedicated to pottery-making in Bangladesh, nearly half a million people who use clay to make art because clay is what there is.
They dig and mix two kinds of clay -- one white and sandy, one black and sticky -- treading and kneading them together to make a smooth new substance for creation.

The potters are predominantly Hindus. They bear the same surname -- Pal -- indicating their membership in the craft-craft-caste of the workers in clay. Most of the Pals make utilitarian ware. Women use paras, men turn the great chak. With their different techniques, women and men make identical kalshis and they collaborate in making patils -- smooth useful vessels that are slipped for brightness, fired to ruddy buff or silvery black, and then sent to market. During commercial exchange, Hindu products go to Muslim consumers, unifying society in the honorable ethic of utility.

Symmetrical, smooth, and bright, the potter's vessel is at once useful and beautiful. Then utility declines and beauty rises when the pot is painted. Useful vessels dominate the potter's labor, but some potters specialise in images.Decorative images in clay subdivide into four main classes: animals, village life, heroes, and religious icons.
The animals -- the birds and fowl, the horses and cows, the lions and tigers -- are most abundant. Toys for children to use in play, items to enliven the decor of the home, they can be read as merely decorative, though subtly they can carry deep messages.
Is the handsome striped tiger a beast of the jungle or an emblem of the nation? Is the bird only colorful, or is it the symbol of the soul conventional in Sufi verse? Is the lion only imposing, or is it the vahana of Durga, the prime Hindu deity of Bengal?

Among the products for sale in the markets for pottery along the streets of Dhaka, enormous, vigorous horses prance out of the crowd. They were assembled of molded components, finished and fired in the workshops of Falan Chandra Pal and Joy Pal, of Maran Chandra Pal, Babu Lal Pal, and Narayan Chandra Pal, in the village of Khamarpara, Shimulia, Savar. The horse is a noble, decorative presence, suitable to the middle-class home, and it is a symbol of the mortal body that carries the soul through life as the horse carries the rider over the land. Conspicuously handsome and alive, the horse is a sign of vanity.

17/01/2014

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, formerly Zia International Airport and Dacca International Airport, is the largest airport in Bangladesh. Operated and maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, it is also used by the Bangladesh Air Force. Located in Kurmitola in northern Dhaka, it started operations in 1980, taking over as the country's sole international airport from Tejgaon Airport. It is the hub of all Bangladeshi airlines, including Biman Bangladesh Airlines, United Airways, Regent Airways and NovoAir.

The airport has an area of 1,981 acres (802 ha). About 66% of the country's international and domestic arrivals and departures occur through this airport, while the country's second largest airport, Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, accounts for nearly 21% of passengers. The airport has a capacity of handling 8 million passengers annually, and is predicted by the CAAB to be enough until 2026.

In 2012, it handled 5.6 million passengers, and 214,000 tons of air cargo. As of December 2013, 27 passenger airlines connect 38 cities, domestic and international. 14 cargo airlines operate cargo-only flights to the airport. Average aircraft traffic activity in the airport per day is around 190 flights.

Flag-carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is the ground handling provider of the airport. Biman flies from the airport internationally to 18 cities in Europe and Asia.

Location and access:
The airport is located in Kurmitola and was originally 11 NM (20 km; 13 mi) north of the capital Dhaka. It can be accessed by the eight-lane Airport Road. 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. The nearest hotel near the airport is the Dhaka Regency Hotel. However, a Best Western hotel is expected to open in mid-2014.

Due to the expansion of the city, the airport has been engulfed by the city, prompting the government to consider relocating it elsewhere.

History:
In 1941, during the Second World War, the British government built a landing strip at Kurmitola, several kilometers north of Tejgaon, as an extra 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.

After the creation of Pakistan in 1947, Tejgaon Airport became the first civil airport in what was then East Pakistan, current day Bangladesh. In 1966 that a project was taken by the then Pakistan Government to construct a new airport at present site north of Kurmitola was selected and tender floated for construction of terminal building and runway under technical support of French experts. For transportation of construction materials a rail station (present airport railway station) was built near the site. However, the new airstrip was 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. It decided to make the airport the country's principal 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"). The project took a further three years to complete, during which time Ziaur Rahman was assassinated (in 1981), so, after its completion in 1983, then-President Abdus Sattar re-inaugurated the airport as Zia International Airport.

In 2010, the government changed the airport's name once again, from Zia International Airport to Shahjalal International Airport, to honour Shah Jalal, one of Bangladesh's most respected Sufi saints.

On December 6, 2011, ZA006, a Boeing 787 stopped for fuel 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 787's weight class, 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 aircraft then continued eastbound from Dhaka to return to Boeing Field, setting a world-circling speed record of 42 hours, 27 minutes.

In November 2013, an agreement was signed for the opening of a 56-room Best Western hotel adjacent to the airport. The hotel is expected to open in the second quarter of 2014

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.

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. 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. 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.

Second runwayA feasibility study is underway to decide about adding a parallel, second runway at a cost of BDT 10 billion by 2014. 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 unutilized.

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Voyager Bangladesh

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