India may seek Bangladesh land to expand airport

International Desk: India is likely to request Bangladesh to negotiate a land deal to facilitate an expansion of a runway at the World War II-famed airport at Agartala.

Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb informed that the Bangladesh government would be approached for the 52-acre land necessary for the runway expansion at the Maharaja Bir Bikram Airport (MBB), named after a dynamic ruler of erstwhile princely state.

The two-and-a-half kilometre runway of the airport is situated at the edge of the border with Bangladesh. The extension of the runway with a proper approach passage and lighting facilities iss necessary as work is underway to convert the MBB Airport into an international airport.

The ongoing construction for a new terminus and other such additions are expected to be completed by next year.

The Chief Minister told presspersons that an international airport would not only help locals, but also Bangladeshis who now want to travel to the rest of the country.

It has not been made clear if the land transfer request has already been taken up with Bangladesh through diplomatic channels. The Chief Minister said the External Affairs Ministry would deal with the matter in due course.

Airport Authority of India (AAI) officials stationed at the MBB Airport on Thursday said the piece of land required on one side of the runway falls in Hirapur village in Bangladesh’s Brahmanbaria district. They said that the land matter would not impact flight operations even after the airport attains international status if Bangladesh refuses to comply with the request.

Sources said India might try to work out a land deal through a ‘give and take’ formula.

Source: The Hindu

risingbd/Dhaka/Aug 10, 2019/AI