The Advisers Council Committee on Economic Affairs on Tuesday approved major project revision involving over Tk 290crore for upgrading Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram.

The approval came at a meeting of the committee held at Secretariat with Finance Adviser Dr Salehuddin Ahmed in the chair.

For Shah Amanat International Airport, the committee approved a revision to the project titled “Strengthening of Existing Runway and Taxiway (1st Revised).”

The original contract valued at Tk 472 crore will now increase by Tk 132 crore, raising the total to Tk 605 crore—a 16.39 percent rise.

The project is being implemented by MIR AKHTER-CAMCE JV, based at Red Crescent Borak Tower in Dhaka.

At Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the project “Installation of CNS-ATM (Communications, Navigation and Surveillance-Air Traffic Management) System including Radar (1st Revised)” also received the committee’s approval.

The original contract of Tk 658 crore will rise by Tk 158 crore, bringing the revised total to Tk 817 crore—a 24.13 percent increase.

French aviation technology company THALES LAS FRANCE SAS has been appointed as the contractor.

Officials said the upgrades at Shah Amanat Airport  significantly increase the load-bearing capacity of the runway and taxiway, paving the way for smoother operations of wide-body aircraft.

Meanwhile, the CNS-ATM and radar installation at Shahjalal Airport will modernise Bangladesh’s air traffic surveillance and navigation systems, aligning them with international aviation safety and efficiency standards.

The committee said both proposals are crucial for strengthening Bangladesh’s aviation infrastructure which has been under pressure from increasing passenger volumes and cargo traffic.

The recommendations will now go to the Advisers Council Committee on Government Purchase for final approval before implementation.

The Economic Affairs Committee also gave policy approval to several procurement and contract extension proposals including fertiliser and fuel imports as well as contractual extensions for consultants under the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

The committee recommended policy approval for the import of Triple Super Phosphate (TSP) fertiliser from Agrofertrans Limited, UK, which has authorisation from Egypt-based NCIC, under a government-to-government arrangement. The proposal was placed by the Ministry of Agriculture.

It also endorsed a proposal of the Energy and Mineral Resources Division to import 50,000 metric tons of gasoline 95 unleaded (octane) for the July–December 2025 period.

The purchase, to be made from Indonesia’s PT Bumi Siak Pusako Japin (BSP) will cost an estimated Tk 413.44 crore based on the quoted premium and reference price.

In another decision, the committee recommended extending the contracts of CAAB’s contractual consultants, including special inspectors, security inspectors, and financial consultants.

The proposal came from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.