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HSIA to have modern radar soon


Published : 06 Mar 2022 09:33 PM

Installation work of the radar at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is finally going to start. Braving all odds, the authorities concerned selected the site where the radar will be installed.  

While visiting the airport recently it was found that soil test was in progress to set up the radar at the front garden of the airport. The authorities concerned are now waiting for Prime Minister’s schedule to inaugurate the construction work. 

Meanwhile, a high-powered delegation from Thales International is currently in Dhaka to see the latest developments in the radar project. They visited the project area on Tuesday.  

Confirming this to media, Chairman, (plz confirm the designation with Anwar) Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman said, “A delegation of Thalas have come to Dhaka to discuss how the project can be started and completed quickly, how to provide technical assistance, and how such assistance can be provided at other airports in the country.” 

CAAB signed an agreement with French aerospace company Thales on October 21 last at InterContinental Hotel in the capital to establish a new radar at Dhaka Airport. 

The radar installation is expected to take roughly three years and will cost Tk 658.4 crore. The project is expected to be completed by June 2023 with full government funding. 

The existing 38-year-old analogue radar currently installed at the airport cannot detect foreign aircrafts flying over the sea, according to CAAB.

Hence, the government decided to purchase the new radar after considering all these aspects. After the new radar is installed, it will be possible to cover the entire maritime area of Bangladesh, allowing the government to earn more revenues and ensuring airspace safety.

According to aviation experts, the addition of radar from the world’s top companies will add a new milestone to the country’s aviation sector. If the project is implemented, the country’s aviation will be more smooth, secure and world-class. 

The project, called CNS-ATM, is aimed at keeping the navigation system in tune with the modern world. The world-class Thales company has already confirmed with the Civil Aviation Authority that it will give the highest priority to the implementation of the radar project.

The project of installing radar in G2G system with France was taken upon the advice of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Mainly due to her foresight, it has saved at least Tk 1500 crore.

CAAB Member (Flight Standard & Regulations) Group Captain Chowdhury Ziaul Kabir is optimistic that work will start next month. 

He said, “As the aviation world progresses, so does the radar and traffic control system. In keeping pace with the modern world, Civil Aviation has also undertaken this much-discussed and awaited project. If the project is implemented, many commercial aircrafts flying over the sea will be detected and identified. This will only increase the revenue of civil aviation due to radar management. That will ensure safe airspace.”