HC issues rule asking why operations should not be restarted at Thakurgaon airport

The High Court today issued a rule asking the secretary of civil aviation and tourism ministry and the chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to explain why they should not be directed to recommence operations at Thakurgaon Airport.

In the rule, the court asked the respondents to show cause why their inaction in reopening the airport should not be declared illegal.

The cabinet secretary, and secretaries at the ministries of civil aviation and tourism; finance; planning; legislative and parliamentary affairs division of law ministry; and defence; the chairman of CAAB and the deputy commissioner of Thakurgaon have been made respondents to the rule, Assistant Attorney General Eakramul Kabir Romel told The Daily Star.

The HC bench of Justice Fahmida Quader and Justice Sayed Jahed Mansur issued the rule following a writ petition filed by Supreme Court lawyer Md Kamruzzaman seeking necessary directives.

Kamruzzaman, also a resident of Ranisankail upazila in Thakurgaon, submitted the petition as a public interest litigation to the HC on May 13 this year, saying that the non-operation of Thakurgaon airport is affecting 4.5 million people, businesses and entrepreneurs in the area.

The airport, which was built during World War II in 1940, was reportedly closed in 1979 for various reasons including lack of passengers.

In reality, this argument is not correct as at present, the number of air passengers has increased in Thakurgaon and Panchagarh.

Besides, thousands of small industries have been set up in the area.

In the absence of the airport, heavy industries, mills and factories are not being set up in this area, economic development is not possible and therefore, the fate of 4.5 million people is not changing, he said in the petition.

Advocate Kamruzzaman himself moved the petition while Deputy Attorney General Mohammed Shafiqur Rahman and Assistant Attorney General Eakramul Kabir Romel represented the state during the hearing of the petition today.