The government has decided to suspend its recent decision to upgrade Cox’s Bazar Airport to international status, following the fire at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s (HSIA) cargo village that exposed major gaps in aviation infrastructure and safety compliance, officials said.

According to senior government and aviation sources, the decision comes less than a week after the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) declared Cox’s Bazar as the country’s fourth international airport. The move is now being reversed to avoid further operational risks until adequate facilities and safety systems are in place.

Commerce and Civil Aviation Adviser Sheikh Basiruddin confirmed the decision to put the move on hold. Noor-E-Alam, a CAAB member (ATM), said a proposal recommending reversal has already been sent to the Civil Aviation Ministry.

The premature declaration caught customs authorities off guard, as they were not consulted beforehand. Under the Customs Act 2023, designating an international airport requires official gazette notifications detailing customs zones, bonded areas, cargo facilities, and unloading sites.

None of these legal procedures was completed before the announcement.

Officials added that the National Board of Revenue (NBR) was also not involved in coordinating the legal and logistical requirements for international operations.

Earlier, CAAB had planned a “soft launch” of limited international flights later this month, with Biman Bangladesh Airlines preparing to operate its maiden Cox’s Bazar–Kolkata service via Dhaka. The plan now stands postponed.

The upgradation project for Cox’s Bazar Airport, launched in 2021, aims to extend its 6,775-foot runway to 9,000 feet by December 2026, allowing it to handle wide-body aircraft. Once completed, the airport is expected to become the fourth international gateway after Dhaka, Sylhet, and Chattogram.