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Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport হজরত শাহজালাল আন্তর্জাতিক বিমানবন্দর Hôjrot Shahjalal Antorjatik Bimanbôndor
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport
IATA: DAC ICAO: VGHS DACLocation of airport in Bangladesh
Summary
Airport type	Public
Owner	Bangladesh Government
Operator	Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh
Serves	Dhaka
Location	Kurmitola
Hub for	Biman Bangladesh Airlines GMG Airlines United Airways Regent Airways
Elevation AMSL	27 ft / 8 m
Coordinates	23°50′34″N 090°24′02″E / 23.84278°N 90.40056°E / 23.84278; 90.40056 (Shah Jalal International Airport)
Website	www.caab.gov.bd
Runways
Direction Length Surface m ft 14/32 3,200 10,500 Concrete / Asphalt
Source: Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (Template:Lang-bn Hôjrot Shahjalal Antorjatik Bimanbôndor ) (IATA: DAC, ICAO: VGHS), formerly Zia International Airport and Dacca International Airport, is the largest airport in Bangladesh. It is located in the capital Dhaka and started operations in 1980, taking over as the country's sole international airport from Tejgaon Airport. It is the home base and hub of all Bangladeshi airlines, including Biman Bangladesh Airlines, GMG Airlines, and United Airways.

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. Approximately 4 million international and 2 million domestic passengers and 150,000 tons of freight and mail pass through the airport annually. The airport has a capacity of 8 million passengers per year, and is predicted by the CAAB to be enough until 2026. Currently 27 airlines operate to the airport, averaging 190 daily aircraft landings and takeoffs.

Shahjalal International Airport connects Bangladesh with many major cities of the world. State-airline Biman Bangladesh Airlines flies internationally from the airport to thirteen cities in Europe and Asia.

Location

The airport is located in Kurmitola and was originally 11 NM (20 km; 13 mi) north of the capital Dhaka. It lies on the eight-lane Airport Road To the north of the airport lies Uttara (Dhaka) and Gazipur, while Dhaka city lies to its south. The railway station opposite to the airport is named Airport Station.

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 bldg. 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 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.

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.

The airport has been set up and upgraded with technology and instruments worth ৳ 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. Another terminal and asphalt runway overlay is underway, by the Bangladeshi company Abdul Momen Ltd. Further improvements in the Taxiway and Runway lighting system will be made by funds from Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) worth ৳ 4.5 billion. Further projects include: primary and secondary radar, a new control tower and a modern drainage system.

Terminals, airlines and destinations

The airport consists of three major terminals, T1 and T2 for international flights and a third terminal (known as Domestic Terminal) for domestic flights. The arrivals deck is the ground floor and the upper floor is the departures hall. A VIP terminal is built only about 200 metres from the main gate and is only used occasionally. Terminal 3, or T3 is currently under construction.

Passenger

Accidents and incidents

On September 28, 1977, a Japan Airlines flight from Mumbai to Tokyo was hijacked by 5 Japanese Red Army terrorists shortly after takeoff, and forced the plane to land at then Zia International Airport. The terrorists' demand of $6 million and release of 6 JRA terrorists from Japanese prison was met by the Japanese Prime Minister. Bangladesh Air Force was deployed to control the situation in the ground and to facilitate negotiations.

On August 4, 1984, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Chittagong crashed in the swamps near Shahjalal Airport. All 45 passengers and 4 crew of the Fokker F27 died. The flight was piloted by Kaniz Fatema Roksana, the first woman commercial pilot of Bangladesh.

On May 25, 2008, Saudia Flight SV806 from Prince Mohammad Bin Abdulaziz Airport, Medina, made an unscheduled landing. During the roll the tower controller reported that he saw fire on the starboard wing. Upon exiting runway 14, the crew received a fire indication for engine number three. The fire extinguisher was activated, and all engines were shut down. The Boeing 747-357, which had been charred beyond repair, was successfully evacuated. Only minor injuries had been incurred. An investigation determined that there had been a fuel leak where the fuel enters the front spar for engine number three.

On March 22, 2010, a Lockheed L-1011 belonging to cargo airline Sky Capital Airlines, made an emergency landing due to engine fire caused by technical glitches. Nobody was injured, and the plane landed safely.

On April 30, 2012, a A Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) ATR-72-500 aircraft of 1st Air Division/6th Wing, 603sq, (serial L16-2/52, code 60314), sustained damage in a landing accident at Dhaka-Shahjalal International Airport (DAC). The airplane suffered a runway excursion while landing. It came to rest against a concrete barrier, causing substantial damage to the right hand wing. Two passengers reportedly suffered minor injuries.

Access

The airport is connected to the Dhaka by the Tongi Diversion Road. The nearest hotel near Shahjalal International is the Dhaka Regency Hotel.

Gallery

• Biman's Boeing 777-200ER being loaded for its maiden commercial flight at Shahjalal International Airport, Bangladesh. (2010)
• The VIP lounge-2, one of four VIP lounges of Shahjalal International Airport.
• Biman Captain and first officer walking to board their plane at the airport. Biman Captain and first officer walking to board their plane at the airport.
• A Biman Boeing 737-800 landing at Shahjalal International Airport
• A parked Boeing 777-300ER of Biman
• Interior of the deperture zone
• Hangars at Shahjalal International Airport where aircraft are stored and maintained.

References

1. "Aerodrome Information: Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka". Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.
2. "Aerodrome Information: Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka (continued)". Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.
3. ^ "Airports in Bangladesh". Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.
4. "Dhaka - Zia International Airport (DAC)". World Executive. OE Interactive.
5. ^ Ahmad, Rashiduddin (September 29, 2010). "New airport at Trishal: Flight of fancy or urban nightmare?". The Daily Star. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
6. Byron, Rejaul Karim (28 August 2010). "New int'l airport to cost Tk 50,000cr". The Daily Star. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
7. "AIRPORT DEVELOPMENT HISTORY". Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
8. ^ http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=234667
9. "Biman's Destination: International Destinations". Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
10. ^ "Dhaka - Airports". World Executive. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
11. http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g293936-i9193-k4244602-From_Sylhet_to_Dhaka_Airport_by_train-Dhaka_City_Dhaka.html
12. Ahmed, Ershad (16 November 2006). "Zia International Airport, Dhaka".
13. Uddin, Syed Mohd Saleh. "Airports". Banglapedia. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
14. http://dhakadailyphoto.blogspot.com/2006/11/zia-international-airport-dhaka.html
15. http://www.dhakacity.com.bd/
16. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=126503
17. "ZIA made Shahjalal International Airport". The Daily Star. February 16, 2010. Retrieved 16 November 2011.
18. "Boeing 787 Dreamliner Sets Speed, Distance Records". Boeing Press Release, December 8, 2011]
19. http://www.thedailystar.net/newDesign/news-details.php?nid=23466
20. ^ "JAL 1977 plane hijack in Dhaka: Japanese filmmaker to make documentary". bdnews24.com. Retrieved 15 November 2011.
21. "Japanese Red Army member's life sentence to stand". Japan Times. Sep. 15, 2011. Retrieved 15 November 2011. {{cite news}}: Check date values in: |date= (help)
22. "49 Die in Bangladesh As Plane Plunges". The New York Times. Reuters. 4 August 1984. Retrieved 23 January 2008.
23. ^ "ASN Aircraft accident Boeing 747-357 TF-ARS Dhaka-Zia International Airport (DAC)". Aircraft Safety Network. Retrieved 24 January 2010.
24. "Saudi plane catches fire at ZIA". The Daily Star. STAR. 2008-03-26. Retrieved 24 January 2011.
25. "Cargo aircraft catches fire at Shahjalal Airport". The Daily Star. Mediastar. 23 March 2010. Retrieved 7 April 2010.
26. Dhaka Airport Road. Google Maps.
27. Welcome to Dhaka Regency Hotel. Dhaka Regency Hotel & Resort. The airport is a short distance to the Westin Hotel and Radisson Hotel.

External links

• Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh: Airports
• Aerodrome information at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh
• Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Live Flight Tracking
• Airport Armed Police

• Airports in Bangladesh
• Airports established in 1941
• Buildings and structures in Dhaka
• Transport in Bangladesh