Sylhet Airport begins cargo operations

Sylhet : Water cannons spouted as the inaugural freighter flight took off Sylhet's Osmani International Airport with full of cargo as part of Bangladesh's response to India's abrupt suspension of third-country transshipment.

A chartered Airbus A330-300 freighter operated by Galistair Aviation departed Sylhet Airport on April 27 evening, carrying 60 tons of readymade garments (RMG) to Zaragoza of Spain via Dubai while Biman Bangladesh Airlines will provide ground-handling services for the operation.

"Today's cargo operation has increased our cargo handling capacity. It will overcome to fulfill the gap of country's export facilities," said Commerce and Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin while inaugurating the cargo flight operation.

He said, the government has taken all initiatives to face the challenges posed by the Indian ban on exporting Bangladesh goods using their airports.

Bangladesh Ambassador to Mexico M Mushfiqul Fazal Ansarey and Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasreen Jahan spoke as the special guests while Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan was in the chair.

"We are not dependent on anyone-we can, and we will shape our own future. From the soil of Sylhet, goods will now be sent directly to the global market," said Ansarey. 

"Today we are inaugurating freighter flight operation from Sylhet and we will start cargo operation from Chattogram Airport soon," CAAB Chairman Bhuiyan said.

He said that initially two charted freighter flights will be operated weekly from Sylhet Airport and the frequency to be increased as per demand.