Introduction to Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB)

As a member of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the CAAB is putting in place necessary infrastructural facilities for movement of domestic and international aircraft. To ensure quick and secured movement of foreign and domestic aircraft in the Bangladeshi sky territory, the CAAB builds and maintains airports, air traffic, and air navigation facilities; installs telecommunication services and provides other facilities for the passengers.

In the year 1985, the Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh formed Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) vide Ordinance No. XXXVIII of 1985, titled The Civil Aviation Authority Ordinance, 1985. CAAB functions as the regulatory body for all aviation-related activities in Bangladesh. Aside from being the aeronautical service provider, it is also responsible for safe, expeditious, and efficient flow of air traffic within the Flight Information Region (FIR) bounded by the international geographic boundary of Bangladesh. This organization is the custodian of all airfields and allied facilities including air navigation facilities. With about 3,000 employees, CAAB operates and maintains the major airports in Bangladesh and all the air traffic control. For further details following link is pertinent: https://caab.portal.gov.bd/

Important Contact details of CAAB

Disaster Response by CAAB

Dhaka and Chattogram Airports Ready for Post-Disaster Needs

Procedures for Foreign Registered Aircraft 

The provisions detailed here under are related to non-emergency periods. There are, apparently, no specific and detailed provisions for emergency relief operations. Nevertheless, as soon as an emergency state is declared by the authorities, specific procedures for international relief cargo will be edited and implemented.

 Entry

All flights into, from or over the territory of Bangladesh and landings in Bangladesh territory shall be carried out in accordance with the permission received from Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority and in accordance with the national regulations. Aircraft landing in or departing from the territory of Bangladesh must first land at or finally depart from an International Airport. The aircraft, after landing at airport shall not proceed further unless the pilot in command has obtained necessary customs and other clearances in writing from officer of such organization as duly authorized by the Government. No aircraft, including aircraft engaged in a scheduled air transport service, shall make flights into or in transit across the territory of Bangladesh except in accordance with the above conditions.

Scheduled Flights

For operation of regular international scheduled flights operated by foreign airlines into or in transit across Bangladesh, the following requirements must be met:

1. The state of the airline must be a party either to the International Air Services Transit Agreement, 1944 or a party to bilateral air transport agreement with the Bangladesh Government or must obtain special permission under a bilateral agreement or arrangement.
2. The airline must be eligible to make the flights under the provisions of a bilateral or multilateral agreement to which the state of the airline and Bangladesh are contracting parties and must have a permit to operate into or in transit across Bangladesh airspace. Applications for such permits shall be submitted to the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority, Kurmitola, Dhaka-1229 well in advance.
3. Aircraft belonging to or operated for or on behalf of the Government of South Africa, Israel and Taiwan are debarred from flying into or in transit across the territory of Bangladesh.

Non-scheduled Flights

If an operator intends to perform a (series of) non-scheduled flight(s) into Bangladesh for the purpose of taking on or discharging passenger, cargo or mail, he shall apply in writing to the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority, Government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, Kurmitola, Dhaka-1229 and obtain prior approval to carry out such operations not less that 15 (fifteen) working days in advance of the intended landing.

The application must include the following information in the order shown hereunder:

1. Name, address and nationality of operator of aircraft;
2. Type of aircraft, Nationality and Registration Marks of the aircraft;
3. Call sign of aircraft;
4. Date and time of arrival at, and departure from Bangladesh;
5. Place or places of embarkation or disembarkation abroad as the case may be of passengers and/or freight;
6. Purpose of flight and details of passengers and/or nature and amount of freight;
7. Name, address and business of charterer, if any;
8. Route to be flown;
9. Such other information as may be required by the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority.

Charter Flights

If an operator intends to perform a (series of) non-scheduled flight(s) for the purpose of taking on or discharging passengers, cargo or mail in Bangladesh to/from a place outside Bangladesh, he shall apply to and obtain prior approval from the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority for the exercise of such traffic rights. The application must contain the particulars specified for non-scheduled flights.

No passenger or freight flights originating in Bangladesh for a place outside Bangladesh may be picked up unless the charter/or hire of the whole or part of the space on such aircraft, if considered to have been arranged through the agency of National Operator, and with the prior consent of the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

Charter flight(s) by Foreign Operators may be permitted provided the Charterer along with the application produces a declaration from the National Carrier stating that they (National Carrier) are not in a position to meet the requirement of the Charterer.

No advertisement in respect of such flights soliciting booking of traffic or purporting to notify availability of space in aircraft shall be made in any manner whatsoever, either by the person or the operator.

Charter Flights by foreign operators not exercising traffic rights when transiting through Bangladesh

Subject to the observance of the terms of the Convention on International Civil Aviation 1944, application must be made at least 3 working days before the intended flight, and obtain prior permission from the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh for fall aircraft of the Contracting states of the above-mentioned convention desiring to carry out non-scheduled flight into, or in transit non-stop across Bangladesh and to make stops for non-traffic purposes in Bangladesh. The application must contain the following particulars in the order shown hereunder:

1. Name, address and nationality of aircraft operator.
2. Type, Nationality and Registration marks of the aircraft
3. Date and time of arrival at, and departure from Bangladesh.
4. Purpose of flight and details of passengers and/or nature and amount of freight.
5. Name, address and business of charterer, if any.
6. Route to be flown.

Flights of State Aircraft

If a State intends to perform a (Series of) non-schedule flight(s) into Bangladesh to operate military aircraft, it shall apply to the Government of Bangladesh, Ministry of Affairs, Dhaka, Bangladesh (Telegraphic Address- (PARARASTRA DHAKA) for permission to carry out such operation not less than 15 (fifteen) working days in advance of the intended landing. The application must include the following information in the order shown hereunder:

1. Name of operator, Type of aircraft and registration marks.
2. Date and time of arrival and departure from Bangladesh.
3. Place or places of embarkation or disembarkation of passengers and/or freight, etc.
4. purpose of flight and number of passengers and/or nature and amount of freight.
5. Route of flight.
6. A certificate to the effect that " No war-like materials, such as arms, ammunition, explosives (except escape/aid explosives), pyrotechnics (except very pistol signal cartridges) nuclear fissionable materials, ABC gases, photographic equipment and materials (whether installed or
7. not electronic devices other than required for normal operation of the aircraft, are being carried by the aircraft.

Documentary requirements for clearance of aircraft

It is necessary that the under mentioned aircraft documents be submitted by airline operators for clearance on entry and departure of their aircraft to and from Bangladesh. All documents listed below must follow the ICAO standard format as set forth in the relevant appendices to Annex 9 and are acceptable when furnished in English and completed in legible handwriting.

Aircraft documents required for arrival and departure:

Notes:

1. One copy of the General Declaration is endorsed and returned by Customs, Signifying clearances.
2. If no passengers are embarking (disembarking) and no articles are laded (unladed), no aircraft documents except copies of the General declaration need be submitted to the above authorities.

Public health measures applied to aircraft

All international travelers coming to Bangladesh from yellow fever zone or in transit through yellow fever zone must possess a valid International Certificate of yellow fever vaccination. There will not be any exception for age, sex and status.

Yellow Fever: The vaccine used must be approved by the WHO and the vaccination centre must be notified by the WHO. Yellow fever epidemic zones of Africa and South America are given below: 

Africa: Angola, Benin Botswana, Burundi, Central African Republic, Chad, Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sao Tome and Principe, Senegal, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Sudan (South of 15 N), Togo, Uganda, United Republic of Cameroon, United Republic of Tanzania, Upper Volta, Zaire, Zambia. 

South America: Belize, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Ecuador, French Guiana, Guatemala, Guyana, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Peru, Suriname, Trinidad, Tobago and Venezuela,

Note: When a case of yellow fever is reported from any Country, that country is regarded by the Government of Bangladesh as infected with yellow fever and is added to the above list.

In case any traveler fails to produce such valid certificate he will either not be permitted to enter Bangladesh or will be isolated till he is considered free from infection by local Health Administration. A simplified E/D-cum Health Card is to be filled in by an arriving passenger of all categories. Desensitization of aircraft in flight is not acceptable. However, spraying on the ground is not required provided a "Desensitization Certificate" from the place of origin is carried on the aircraft. Aircraft and aircrew engaged on non-scheduled flights to Bangladesh shall comply with the requirements of the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago, 1944) and the national regulations in force in Bangladesh. 

Cabotage Carriage

No passenger or freight originating at a point in Bangladesh and destined for another point in Bangladesh may be picked up by a foreign operator. If an operator intends to perform a (series of) non-scheduled flight(s) originating at a point in Bangladesh and destined for another point in Bangladesh for the purpose fo taking or discharging passengers, cargo or mail, he shall have to provide satisfactory evidence that no Bangladesh registered operator is in a position to carry the passengers or freight available between the two points in Bangladesh. Thereafter, he shall apply to the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority for permission to carry out such charter flights. 

Other Commercial Flights

If an operator intends to perform a (series of) non-scheduled commercial flight(s) e.g. Business flights, survey flights or spraying flights in Bangladesh he shall apply giving details of the flights(s) to the Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority, Kurmitola, Dhaka-1229 for permission to carry out such operations. Grant of permission will be governed by the merits of the individual cases of consultation with any other department of Government of Bangladesh that may be concerned. 

Employment of foreign aircraft for public transportation or aerial works

An aircraft not registered in Bangladesh is precluded from employment as a public transport aircraft or an aerial work aircraft in Bangladesh territory without special permission from the government of Bangladesh, an aircraft owned by a person other than a national of Bangladesh who is resident in resident in or carrying on business in Bangladesh may be registered as Bangladesh aircraft, but is precluded from employment as public transport aircraft or an aerial work aircraft without special authorization from the chairman, CAAB.

Cargo
Regulations concerning importation, transshipment and exportation of cargo

Customs requirements: Carriage of arms and explosives

1. The Carriage in aircraft of any arms, ammunition, explosives, military stores or articles of highly inflammable nature is prohibited under the Bangladesh Aircraft Rules, except explosives or other articles required exclusively for the working of the aircraft and such arms and ammunition as may reasonably be required for private use.
2. No civil registered aircraft, whether national or foreign shall carry ammunition of war or implements of war in or across the territories of Bangladesh.
3. Sporting arms and ammunition, explosives (other than those which are used for handling and operating an aircraft), poisons, corrosive liquids or irritant gases, as aesthetic gases, liquids and compounds, flammable solids, liquids or gases, oxidizing materials shall not be carried in bulk on any passenger carrying aircraft, whether national or foreign in or across the territory of Bangladesh except in such quantities as may be notified from time to time.
4. When any of the articles mentioned in above is carried, the carrier shall ensure that:
   1. The quantity is within the prescribed limits;
   2. It is properly and securely packed and correctly labeled showing the content of the package with appropriate instructions for handling;
   3. It is stored in such a place that if the container is damaged, the crew, passenger and the main structure of the aircraft is not likely to endangered by its effects.
   4. Articles mentioned in paragraph 3 may be transited in bulk through Bangladesh on a foreign registered aircraft provided the owner of the aircraft has obtained prior permission of its Government for conveyance of the cargo on board and 24 hours advance notice of the arrival of aircraft is given to the Airport of intended landing in Bangladesh.

A list of articles which are classified a "Prohibited Cargo" or "Dangerous Cargo" is available at all civil aerodromes.

 Plant Quarantine Requirements: Importation of Plants and seeds

The importation of plants and seeds into Bangladesh is governed by special rules. In every case where it is intended to carry plants or seeds on aircraft entering Bangladesh, enquiries should first be made from the Department of Plant Protection, Ministry of Agriculture, Agricultural Complex, Farmgate, Dhaka.

 Customs Duty on Airport

No customs duty is levied on an aircraft which is in transit or is to make a temporary stay in Bangladesh for a period of less than six months, However, declaration must be supplied to the Customs Officer at the Airport of entry that the aircraft is in transit or that it is intended to re-export the aircraft within this period.

 Wireless Apparatus

In Conformity with the provisions of the International Telecommunications Convention (Atlantic City, 1947) aircraft entering Bangladesh carrying radio transmitting apparatus are required to have a license3 for the apparatus and the operator must hold a certificate of competency. If an aircraft equipped with wireless apparatus arrives in Bangladesh and does not carry the required license and certificate issued by the State in which it is registered, a license for the apparatus and a certificate for the operator must be obtained from the General Manager, Telephones (Wireless Branch), Dhaka, before proceeding. 

Airports in Bangladesh

CAAB regulates and maintains total 3 International airports and 7 Domestic airports (of which 2 airports are left unused) and 4 STOL (Short Take-Off and Landing) ports for the convenience of airlines as and when necessary specially in time of crisis. Of the 14 Airports and STOL ports of CAAB, 13 are being operated on subsidy. Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is the only airport of the Authority, which has surplus earning over its expenditure.

Key airport information may also be found at: World Aero Data information on Bangladesh

For information on Bangladesh airports contact details, please see the following link:

4.5 Bangladesh Airport Contact List