“Contractors are unpaid, equipment is deteriorating, and the longer it stays idle, the more revenue we lose.”
CAAB’s internal dysfunction is reportedly worsened by infighting.
Sources say operations and administration members dominate decision-making, sidelining the chairman.
“Crucial issues like safety and maintenance are ignored, while time and money are wasted on cosmetic projects,” one insider said.
Fear among airport businesses
Business operators accuse officials of abuse of power.
On July 1, CAAB cancelled multiple leases at Shahjalal and other airports without notice, allegedly seizing property and equipment without legal authority.
One female entrepreneur and several small café owners claim they were forcibly evicted.
“We are afraid to reopen or invest again,” said one tenant.
Financially, the fallout has been steep.
With no new leases allowed, airport retail and catering revenues have plunged.
Stalled flagship projects
Air Vice Marshal Manzur Kabir Bhuiya took charge as CAAB chairman on August 5, pledging to open the Third Terminal “within weeks.”
Nearly a year later, that promise remains unfulfilled.
Equipment such as baggage scanners and boarding systems lie unused, some already requiring recalibration.
Across airports, fire safety remains under scrutiny.
Runway hazards, from bird strikes to roaming animals, persist despite repeated recommendations for better management.
CAAB Member (Administration) SM Labluur Rahman said progress depends on inter-agency coordination.
“We are working professionally. Delays often come from other agencies that must sign off before operations begin,” he said.
On the suspended Cox’s Bazar upgrade, he said: “The government first decided to make it
