Staff Correspondent, Dhaka:
Bangladesh has strengthened its control over its airspace with the commissioning of a modern Air Traffic Control (ATC) tower and a comprehensive radar surveillance system at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, significantly boosting government revenue from overflight charges.
According to aviation-sector sources, the country earned more than Tk 400 crore in overflight charges in just six months after the new system became fully operational.
The development marks a major shift in Bangladesh’s aviation sector, which had long struggled with technological limitations and inadequate radar coverage. With the introduction of modern air traffic management and surveillance technology, authorities are now able to monitor aircraft flying through Bangladesh’s airspace more effectively and ensure the collection of applicable fees.
Data from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and the airport authorities show a significant increase in revenue from overflight fees during the 2025–26 fiscal year.
Bangladesh earned more than Tk 805 crore from overflight charges during the fiscal year. Of this, over Tk 338 crore was collected during the first half of the year, from July to December.
However, revenue increased sharply during the January-June period, when the modern ATC tower and radar system became fully operational. During these six months, the government collected more than Tk 416 crore in overflight charges.
This means the government has been earning an average of roughly Tk 70–80 crore per month from overflight fees.
Aviation experts say Bangladesh had relied for decades on relatively old and limited-capacity radar technology, making it difficult to effectively monitor aircraft movements across the country’s airspace.
The limitations were particularly significant over areas adjacent to the Bay of Bengal, where surveillance coverage was previously inadequate. As a result, authorities often faced difficulties in accurately monitoring aircraft routes and collecting the appropriate charges for the use of Bangladesh’s airspace.
The introduction of modern Air Traffic Management (ATM) and Communication, Navigation and Surveillance (CNS) systems has significantly improved the country’s ability to monitor aircraft movements.
The new ATC tower and radar system were formally inaugurated in April this year following the completion of the project.
The modern air traffic surveillance system was implemented under a government-to-government (G2G) arrangement with French aviation and defence technology company Thales.
The project, worth approximately Tk 942 crore, was financed by CAAB.
Officials and aviation-sector experts say the new system has substantially strengthened Bangladesh’s airspace surveillance capabilities. Aircraft flying over the country can now be tracked more efficiently through the integrated surveillance system, allowing authorities to ensure the collection of applicable overflight charges.
Bangladesh occupies a strategically important geographical position on several major international aviation routes, making its airspace an increasingly valuable asset.
Experts believe that stronger airspace surveillance, combined with modern air traffic management technology, could turn overflight charges into a significant and sustainable source of government revenue.
The latest revenue figures indicate that improved technological capacity is not only strengthening aviation safety and airspace management but also creating a new financial opportunity for Bangladesh.
