Airports in Bangladesh

Nestled on the eastern side of India, Bangladesh is decorated with mangrove trees, scenic beaches, lofty hills and a lot more. Known for its cultural heritage, Bangladesh is a quaint country that got its individual identity after many tragic events. Diversity of culture is evident in exploring every nook and corner in Bangladesh.

The Chittagong Hill tracts, Kaptai Lake, Mangrove forest are some of the places to explore in Bangladesh. Other than this, many tourists also enjoy lazing around the spectacular beaches in Bangladesh. All of these tourist attractions have contributed positively to the growth of tourist footfall in Bangladesh. Owing to these, a number of travellers wish to plan a trip to Bangladesh to explore its grandeur. To cater to this growing demand for tourists, Bangladesh now has a good number of airports.

The airports in Bangladesh help to bridge the aerial gap and make it possible for tourists from all over to come and witness the glory of Bangladesh. All the travellers who are planning a trip to Bangladesh can also get a lot of information about the airports in Bangladesh from the section below.

A list of airports in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has a total number of 8 airports. Out of these, 3 airports offer international flights and 5 airports on other hand have only domestic flights to offer. A new domestic airport is already on its way to reduce the congestion on the other airports in Bangladesh. Several regional and international airlines offer flights to these airports. However, IndiGo has flights to only Dhaka Airport in Bangladesh.

1. Dhaka Airport

The Dhaka Airport is popularly known as the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. It is also the largest airport in Bangladesh that shares its area with the Air Force of Bangladesh. The Hazrat Shahjalal Airport is looked after by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. The airport had several other names such as Zia International Airport and Dacca International Airport before it was finally renamed the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The airport opened itself for public use in 1980 after the then president Ziaur Rahman inaugurated the airport. It replaced the Tejagaon Airport as the only international airport in the country. It was in the 1960s when the airport started its construction phase, however after the outbreak of the Bangladesh Liberation War, the construction was halted. Finally, it was only after Bangladesh gained Independence in 1971 that the airport construction was resumed.

The Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is spread across an area of 1,981 acres. It is located 20 km from Dhaka and is equipped with 2 terminals. The seeds for the construction of the third terminal have already been laid by Sheik Hasina in order to manage the tourist footfall in the airport. From free Wi-Fi to cargo services, passengers can get several facilities at the Dhaka airport.

To get a detailed overview, visit our Dhaka Airport guide.

• Airport address: Airport - Dakshinkhan Rd, Dhaka 1229, Bangladesh
• Airport code: DAC

2. Barisal Airport

This is a domestic airport in Bangladesh that was built in the year 1985 but was officially inaugurated only in the year 1995. It is located in the Barisal region of Bangladesh. The Barisal Airport also played a significant role in the rescue operation after the country was hit by a massive cyclone in 2007. Tourists can visit Kuakata beach, Sonar Char, Fatrar Char and a few other tourist attractions in Barisal.

• Airport address: Q7XX+FJC, Rohomotpur, Bhanga-Barisal Hwy, Barishal 8211, Bangladesh
• Airport code: BZL

3. Shah Amanat International Airport

Serving the Chittagong region, Shah Amanat is another international airport in Bangladesh. It ranks as the second-largest airport in Bangladesh. The airport takes its name from a famous Islamic saint of the 18th century and was formerly called the MA Hannan International Airport.

The airport serves as the base for Bangladesh Air Force as well as Arirang Flying School. The airport is equipped with terminals for international and domestic flights and also has an air traffic control tower. The Shah Amanat International Airport is located about 20 km from Patenga in Bangladesh.

• Airport address: Potenga Rd, Chittagong 4205, Bangladesh
• Airport code: CGP

4. Cox’s Bazar Airport

Yet another airport in Bangladesh that offers domestic flights is Cox’s Bazar Airport. The distance between the main city of Cox Bazar and Cox’s Bazar Airport is about 25 km. The airport has also been a part of several renovation projects to cater to tourist needs. And it is also proposed to be soon transformed into an international airport, thereby becoming the 4th international airport in the country.

• Airport address: Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
• Airport code: CXB

5. Jessore Airport

The Jessore Airport is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. At present, the airport has only domestic flights to increase regional connectivity. The airport also shares its base with Bangladesh Air Force and even with Bangladesh Air Force Academy. Tourists can explore a few places in Jessore such as Jess Garden Park, Michael Madhusudan Dutt Memorial House and a few others.

• Airport address: Airport Bypass Rd, Jessore 7400, Bangladesh
• Airport code: JSR

6. Shah Makhdum Airport

The Shah Makhdum Airport serves the Rajshahi region of Bangladesh. The airport is located about 8 km away from Rajshahi. The airport was named after the famous Sufi saint, Shah Makhdum Rupos. It is equipped with a single runway and even serves as the base for 2 flying training academies.

• Airport address: Rajshahi - Naogaon Hwy, Nowhata 6210, Bangladesh
• Airport code: RJH

7. Saidpur Airport

The Saidpur Airport located in the northern part of Bangladesh mainly serves Saidpur and other neighboring regions. Owing to being the largest economic hub in Bangladesh, a number of tourists visit the place and it is the Saidpur Airport that makes this region more accessible. The Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry has also proposed plans providing the airport with facilities to offer international flights too.

• Airport address: Cantoment Rd, Saidpur 5310, Bangladesh
• Airport code: SPD

8. Osmani International Airport

Osmani Airport is the third international airport in Bangladesh. The airport was initially open for domestic flights only as the airport was not equipped for handling international flights. However, catering to the international standard, the Osmani International Airport started operating international flights in 2002.

• Airport address: Airport Rd, Sylhet 3101, Bangladesh
• Airport code: ZYL

Popular IndiGo flights to Dhaka

IndiGo operates only to the Dhaka airport from the following Indian cities:

• Delhi: There’re flight from Delhi to Dhaka and thus the connecting flight takes a minimum of 6 hours and 55 minutes to arrive at the Dhaka airport
• Kolkata: IndiGo has one direct flight on the Kolkata to Dhaka route which takes 1 hour and 25 minutes to traverse the distance.
• Chennai: Passengers can get both direct and connecting flights from Chennai to Dhaka. The direct flight takes at least 3 hours and 5 minutes to reach Dhaka airport.
• Mumbai: The connecting flight from Mumbai to Dhaka takes a minimum of 7 hours and 55 minutes to cover the aerial distance between the two destinations.

Things to do in Dhaka

• Visit the Pink Palace: Pink Palace or the Ahsan Manzil is situated along the Buriganga river. The construction of the palace was completed in 1892. It even served as the seat for the Nawab family and is now used as a national museum. The architectural magnificence of the palace is enough to catch the attention of the tourists here. Tourists can also find an amazing collection of royal pictures here at the Pink Palace.
• Explore the Sundarban Mangrove Forest: The Sundarban Mangrove Forest in Bangladesh is known for its rich collection of flora and fauna. The region is home to about 260 species of birds and here tourists can also catch a glimpse of the Royal Bengal Tiger, Indian python and many more endangered species.
• Relish the local cuisine of the place: The local food of Bangladesh is quite similar to that found in Bengal. Some of the delectable dishes to savour in Bangladesh are kala bhuna, kachchi biryani, doi chira, haleem and so many more.

So, to witness this fusion of different cultures, make sure to plan a trip to Dhaka. This list of airports is sure to help you out in planning a hassle-free trip to Dhaka.