Lack of cargo flights to Ctg hurting traders

Infographic: TBS

The lack of warehousing facilities at Chattogram airport has led to a decline in inbound cargo flights, putting port city traders in a quandary.

Importers are now forced to bring in essential items, including RMG raw materials, motor and computer parts, through Dhaka airport, spending more time and money while the export of vegetables through Shah Amanat International Airport has also decreased.  

Other items being imported through the capital's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport are accessories, motor parts and computer parts, say businessmen.

Daily vegetable exports to the Middle East through Chattogram airport during regular times used to be 10-15 tonnes, which are now down by 40%, according to the city's vegetable exporters.

General Secretary of Chattogram Vegetable Exporter Association Forkan Rubel said traders have not yet recovered from the losses incurred during the coronavirus pandemic.

After cargo handling activities in Chattogram started in 2002, Thai Air, Kuwait Air, Silk Airlines, Thai Smile, Etihad and Emirates airlines operated cargo flights to Shah Amanat International Airport. Since 2010 commercial cargo flight numbers have been dropping primarily due to a lack of warehouses.

Currently only Emirates operates cargo flights, which too are irregular. The last flight was on 13 October.

Businessmen say industrial factories are constantly increasing in the Chattogram region. Along with Chattogram EPZ, Karnaphuli EPZ and Korean EPZ, the country's largest economic zone, Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Shilpa Nagar is being developed. Besides, a number of industrial factories are being developed on both sides around the Karnaphuli tunnel. As a result, the demand for air cargo is also increasing in this region.

BGMEA former vice president AM Chowdhury Salim said, "As commercial cargo does not come to Chattogram, we have to depend on Dhaka airport. These cargoes actually cost us more time and money. It takes at least 3 to 5 additional days to bring products from Dhaka. If cargo flights are operated from Chattogram, our cost will be reduced a lot."

C&F agents say that other than the Emirates cargo flights at present, household products are brought under the luggage rule from some Middle East countries on flights operated by Air Arabia, Fly Dubai, Bangladesh Biman and Oman Air.

On the return flights, various kinds of vegetables and local fruits are exported to Middle East countries, including Saudi Arabia, Dubai, Qatar, Oman and Bahrain.

Morshedul Alam, manager of Voyager Aviation Service and agent for Emirates and Etihad Airways, told The Business Standard, "Emirates launched cargo flights at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport on 12 December 2012. Etihad Airways launched its cargo flights in 2013. These two airlines operated four cargo flights a week until 2016, after which Emirates kept the flights off for 3 years."

Etihad stopped its flights in 2020 due to the pandemic.

Currently Emirates is allowed to operate two cargo flights on Thursdays and Saturdays on the Dubai-Chattogram-Bangkok and Dubai-Chattogram-Dubai routes.

Thai Air stopped all flights to Chattogram after a 2005 deal with the airliner on the airport's ground handling sparked protests.

Thai Smile flights on the Chattogram-Bangkok route started in March 2017. These flights, which brought in household products under the baggage rules, stopped within a few months as there were few passengers on their midnight return journey to Bangkok.  

Morshedul Alam said, "If cargo storage facilities at the airport are increased, the airlines will be able to resume cargo flights."

Currently, Chattogram's Shah Amanat Airport can only store 200 tonnes in its warehouse, built in 2000.

Shah Amanat International Airport Director Wing Commander Taslim Ahmed told The Business Standard that a team is coming to Chattogram next month to finalise the framework on where the cargo village will be built.

"Once it is finalised, we can get a timeframe on its completion," he added.