Chittagong Chamber proposes 40% preferential tariff, cargo hub for Shah Amanat Airport

The Chittagong Chamber of Commerce and Industry has urged the government to introduce a 40% preferential tariff for international routes at Shah Amanat International Airport and establish a cargo village, inland container depot and container freight station nearby to turn Chattogram into a regional investment and logistics hub.

In a letter to Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury yesterday (15 August), the chamber also called for keeping the airport operational round the clock and introducing transit and refuelling facilities to attract long-haul flights.

The chamber said better utilisation of the airport's existing capacity would boost passenger and cargo handling, attract transit and connecting traffic, and reduce Bangladesh's dependence on Dhaka-centric aviation.

"Chattogram has ample opportunity to become an East-West Aviation and Tourism & Logistics Gateway or Bridging Point," the chamber said in the letter signed by its President Mohammad Amirul Haque.

The business body noted that Chattogram is home to the country's principal seaport, major wholesale markets, export processing zones, special economic zones and a large concentration of industries, making the port city a key commercial and investment centre.

Despite being the country's second-largest international airport and having the necessary infrastructure, Shah Amanat International Airport's full potential remains largely untapped, it added.

Chamber outlines five key proposals
The chamber proposed keeping Shah Amanat International Airport operational 24/7, introducing a 40% preferential tariff for international routes, and allowing passengers to board and disembark during stopovers of long-haul flights.

It also called for developing transit and refuelling facilities for long-haul flights and establishing a cargo village, inland container depot and container freight station near the airport under public-private partnership, build-own-operate or build-own-operate-transfer arrangements.

The chamber said large areas of land in Patenga adjacent to the airport could be utilised to develop cargo facilities serving both the airport and Chattogram seaport.
It added that the private sector and business community are willing and capable of developing the required infrastructure through public-private partnerships and other investment models.

Incentive-based tariffs to drive airport traffic
The chamber argued that an incentive-based tariff structure is necessary to attract more airlines and cargo traffic to Chattogram.

It cited the government's decision to offer reduced tariffs at Mongla Port under its strategic master plan as an example of how preferential charges could help increase utilisation of existing infrastructure.

Similarly, a preferential tariff structure at Shah Amanat airport could attract additional passenger and cargo traffic while generating greater economic activity, it said.
"To attract more traffic and fully utilise the airport's capacity, it is essential to introduce an incentive or concessional tariff structure," the chamber said.

The chamber also urged the finance and planning minister to take personal initiative and provide necessary direction to the relevant authorities to implement the proposals.

It said the measures would help transform Chattogram into a commercial capital and regional investment and logistics hub, while supporting the government's target of turning Bangladesh into a $1 trillion economy by 2034.