Cox's Bazar Int'l Airport
Upgrading cost to rise for slow activity
Staff Reporter :
The upgradaing work of the Cox’s Bazar Airport began in 2007 with an estimated cost of Tk 3.02 billion. The cost rose to 11.93 billion in 2018 for delay and rising cost of materials.
Local Government Department of Engineering (LGED) Ministry, Land Ministry and Cox’s Bazar District Administration delayed the land acquisition process by about three years, including procedural delays in government financing against the project (one month delayed by Geo Jari by the Ministry of Tourism without rational reasons, CAAB and local sources aid.
The much-awaited and high priority project proposed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) got approval in 2007. At that time, the cost was estimated at Tk 3.02 billion. The authority claims there was no other component except for widening the runway from 6,775 feet (ft) to 9,000 ft, they said.
Cox’s Bazar International Airport, a priority project of
the Prime Minister, has passed three years, despite the obligation to release the funds in a short time of land acquisition. But still the land acquisition process is going like snail phase speed, accoording to them.
The work was included in the revised project for the expenditure from the project through a memorandum of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on January 26, 2009.
According to ECNEC’s approval, the issue was compounded as LGED did not demand money during the acquisition. Although the Prime Minister gave instructions for the expenditure on this project, the CAAB did not provide any directive to provide loans from its own funds.
Earlier, the first tender was floated in 2010 and a Turkish contractor who quoted the cost at Tk 4.16 billion emerged as the lowest bidder. But the contractor failed to get the work order as another bidder complained that his certificate of experience was forged. Another tender was invited at the end of 2011 when a Chinese company came up with an offer to finance the project.
The CAAB and the Chinese company negotiated from 2012 to 2014 but failed to reach any decision, as the China contractor asked for Tk 10 billion in project cost, three times above the cost estimated by CAAB.
In June 2012, the government revised the cost, to Tk 5.49 billion. CAAB again floated a tender in May 2014 and selected a Korea-Bangladesh joint venture company that got a Tk 5.78 billion work order in May 2015.
The Local Government Engineering Division (LGED) was assigned the work at a cost of Tk 2.0 billion. And Tk 180 million was allocated for the land acquisition for the construction of the bridge. But the total amount has now increased to Tk 4.04 billion and the land acquisition cost to Tk 1.50 billion, officials said. The construction of the 595-metre-long bridge is now going on.
The PMO also asked the Water Development Board to construct a slope protection dam in the rehabilitation area at Khurushkul mouza at a cost of Tk 2.10 billion, which will now be increased to Tk 2.80 billion. The Board has completed only 40 per cent work with that money, local sources said.
Under the project, LGED acquired 23 acres of land in the rehabilitation area and CAAB acquired 25 acres for widening the runway near the airport area.
CAAB provided Tk 5.20 billion to the DC office for land acquisition by taking loans and the amount is outside the project cost. The DC office, however, has yet to hand over the land.
The remaining 682 acres of land needed for widening the runway was Khas land. Besides, 4,409 families were rehabilitated under Ashrayan project under PMO on 253 acres at Khuruskul.
CAAB Project Director Mr Hasib told the media that the cost of Tk 4.16 billion was estimated only for civil work and navigational instruments (navaid). But the cost of hiring consultants and manpower, land acquisition and car was included during the second revision, raising the project cost to Tk 11.93 billion.
The upgradaing work of the Cox’s Bazar Airport began in 2007 with an estimated cost of Tk 3.02 billion. The cost rose to 11.93 billion in 2018 for delay and rising cost of materials.
Local Government Department of Engineering (LGED) Ministry, Land Ministry and Cox’s Bazar District Administration delayed the land acquisition process by about three years, including procedural delays in government financing against the project (one month delayed by Geo Jari by the Ministry of Tourism without rational reasons, CAAB and local sources aid.
The much-awaited and high priority project proposed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) got approval in 2007. At that time, the cost was estimated at Tk 3.02 billion. The authority claims there was no other component except for widening the runway from 6,775 feet (ft) to 9,000 ft, they said.
Cox’s Bazar International Airport, a priority project of
the Prime Minister, has passed three years, despite the obligation to release the funds in a short time of land acquisition. But still the land acquisition process is going like snail phase speed, accoording to them.
The work was included in the revised project for the expenditure from the project through a memorandum of the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on January 26, 2009.
According to ECNEC’s approval, the issue was compounded as LGED did not demand money during the acquisition. Although the Prime Minister gave instructions for the expenditure on this project, the CAAB did not provide any directive to provide loans from its own funds.
Earlier, the first tender was floated in 2010 and a Turkish contractor who quoted the cost at Tk 4.16 billion emerged as the lowest bidder. But the contractor failed to get the work order as another bidder complained that his certificate of experience was forged. Another tender was invited at the end of 2011 when a Chinese company came up with an offer to finance the project.
The CAAB and the Chinese company negotiated from 2012 to 2014 but failed to reach any decision, as the China contractor asked for Tk 10 billion in project cost, three times above the cost estimated by CAAB.
In June 2012, the government revised the cost, to Tk 5.49 billion. CAAB again floated a tender in May 2014 and selected a Korea-Bangladesh joint venture company that got a Tk 5.78 billion work order in May 2015.
The Local Government Engineering Division (LGED) was assigned the work at a cost of Tk 2.0 billion. And Tk 180 million was allocated for the land acquisition for the construction of the bridge. But the total amount has now increased to Tk 4.04 billion and the land acquisition cost to Tk 1.50 billion, officials said. The construction of the 595-metre-long bridge is now going on.
The PMO also asked the Water Development Board to construct a slope protection dam in the rehabilitation area at Khurushkul mouza at a cost of Tk 2.10 billion, which will now be increased to Tk 2.80 billion. The Board has completed only 40 per cent work with that money, local sources said.
Under the project, LGED acquired 23 acres of land in the rehabilitation area and CAAB acquired 25 acres for widening the runway near the airport area.
CAAB provided Tk 5.20 billion to the DC office for land acquisition by taking loans and the amount is outside the project cost. The DC office, however, has yet to hand over the land.
The remaining 682 acres of land needed for widening the runway was Khas land. Besides, 4,409 families were rehabilitated under Ashrayan project under PMO on 253 acres at Khuruskul.
CAAB Project Director Mr Hasib told the media that the cost of Tk 4.16 billion was estimated only for civil work and navigational instruments (navaid). But the cost of hiring consultants and manpower, land acquisition and car was included during the second revision, raising the project cost to Tk 11.93 billion.
