Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) () functions as the regulatory body for all aviation related activities in Bangladesh. It is the civil aviation authority operating under the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. All nine operational airports (three international and six domestic) are operated by the CAAB. A member of International Civil Aviation Organization, it has signed bilateral air transport agreement with 52 states. It is headquartered in Kurmitola, Dhaka.
History
Pakistan period
Aviation in India can be traced to the first commercial flight on 18 February 1911, and grew during the period between the First and Second World Wars. Some 103 airports, aerodrome, airfields and airstrips were built and operated by the Allied Air Forces in the part of present Bangladesh during the Second World War. These airfields were extensively used for conducting air operations during the Burma Campaign against the Axis powers. After the War, most of these facilities of the Royal Indian Air Force were left unused. After independence from British colonial rule and the partition of the subcontinent, the aviation infrastructure and facilities in what was then East Pakistan were inherited by the Pakistan Air Force.
After the Bangladesh Liberation War of 1971, a Department of Civil Aviation (DCA) was established Airports Development Agency was a limited company that was working before the Independence of Bangladesh since 1965 and worked as a contractor for the Department of Civil Aviation.
The Department of Civil Aviation and the Airports Development Agency were merged by the government of Bangladesh to create Civil Aviation Authority in 1982.
In 1985, the present Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) came into existence as a body corporate with full managerial power, both organisational and financial, vested with it vide Ordinance, 1985. This ordinance repealed Ordinance, 82, dissolved the previously constituted Civil Aviation Authority and transferring all its establishment, assets and liabilities to the new authority.
Functions
As a regulatory body, CAAB implements the rules, regulations and directives of the Government of Bangladesh and the standards and recommendations of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). As per the provisions laid down in Civil Aviation Ordinance 1960 and Civil Aviation Rules 1984, this organisation acts as the aeronautical authority of Bangladesh and discharges the duties and responsibilities as laid down by ICAO.
Flight safety and regulations
Registration of aircraft: CAAB maintains register for all Bangladeshi aircraft. Certification of Air-worthiness: To ensure flight safety, airworthiness of aircraft must be ensured first. An aircraft can be regarded as airworthy if it and its components conform with design standards, are of approved type and are in sound operational condition. CAAB regularly inspects the aircraft registered in Bangladesh and issues/renews certificate of airworthiness for the worthy aircraft, and suspends/cancels such certificate of unworthy ones. Without such certificate no aircraft should attempt to fly. CAAB also continuously monitors all maintenance activities with Bangladesh aircraft, approves certificate for aircraft type and certificate for maintenance establishments, issues directions regarding maintenance, approves design modification, repair and replacement of any component. Personnel Licensing: Each personnel responsible for flight operations on board – pilot, navigator, flight engineer, flight instructor, air traffic controller etc. – and aircraft maintenance engineer on ground should have appropriate license proving his ability and skill before he engages himself in respective job. CAAB tests and issues/renews licenses to the successful applicants. No member of the aircrew and no maintenance engineer should engage in flying operations and participate in maintenance works respectively without such license. Bi-lateral Agreements: CAAB examines documents submitted by other countries in regard to bilateral Air Services Agreements, negotiations and prepares brief for the Government. Any foreign airline intending to operate scheduled flights in the country must be designated pursuant to such Government level agreements. Air Transport Service Authorisation: CAAB issues/cancels license for Bangladeshi enterprises of air transport services, and approves, revises if required, tariff including fares, rates, charges, commissions, and terms and conditions associated with their business.
