Osmani International Airport expansion: why Sylhet is still waiting

That is why the airport’s expansion matters. Plans have described a new passenger terminal, boarding bridges, baggage systems, check-in facilities, an air traffic control tower and improvements to the apron and taxiway. Reporting on the plan described a rise in annual passenger capacity from about half a million to roughly two million.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) project list put the first phase at Tk 230,979.14 lakh, or about Tk 2,309.8 crore, and listed December 2022 as its target. A later CAAB project page listed a December 2025 period. Neither date should be mistaken for the latest completion forecast.

The Business Standard reported that construction stalled at about 22% after major design flaws were identified. UNB later reported an additional Tk 470.87 crore in estimated cost and a revised completion target of December 2027. That is a reported target, not a guarantee of delivery.

Direct flights are especially valuable when the final destination is in Sylhet rather than Dhaka. They also make it easier for visitors, investors and returning families to spend their time in the region. A modern airport cannot create demand on its own, but it can make the journey easier and give airlines more confidence in the route.

The question is whether a terminal designed for two million annual passengers will still be enough as travel grows over the next 15 to 20 years. Passenger forecasts, immigration capacity, baggage reclaim and the scope for further expansion all deserve public scrutiny before the project is declared finished.

Oman’s SalamAir announced three weekly Muscat–Sylhet flights from September 2026. Read our SalamAir route update for more on the connection. Its arrival is a useful sign that another carrier sees a market here. Published routes can change, so travellers should check the airline’s current timetable before making plans.

More choice could bring different departure times, routes and fares. Yet a new terminal alone will not persuade carriers: they also weigh traffic rights, costs, aircraft, ground handling and whether a route can earn its keep. Sylhet needs a clear plan to turn its strong overseas links into sustainable services.

There was an early burst of activity: Bangladesh Monitor reported that 41 flights carried roughly 2,350 tonnes of garments in the following six months. Its January 2026 report also said dedicated flights had then been suspended for more than two months. That was the situation at the time of the report; it does not establish the status of every service today.

Exporters have long discussed opportunities for Sylhet’s fish, citrus and vegetables as well as garments. But agricultural exports need testing, packaging, cold storage and regular freight demand. Airport equipment is only one part of the chain. A second explosive detection system was commissioned in 2026, according to reporting on CAAB’s cargo security work.

Passenger services have been upgraded, and security results have improved. In September 2026, The Business Standard reported that Osmani scored 98% in the latest UK Department for Transport aviation security assessment, up from 94% previously. That is encouraging, though better facilities today do not remove the need to complete the terminal project.

Dhaka needs a strong national hub. Sylhet also needs an airport suited to its own international passengers and businesses. The expansion should be judged by what it delivers for them in the years after opening, not merely by the date of a ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Osmani’s story is about the Sylhet of 2040 as much as the Sylhet of today. Finishing the project well, publishing honest progress reports and planning the next stage early would be a meaningful start.

Sylhet has often had senior figures in past governments, and it has prominent voices in this one too. Khandaker Abdul Muktadir and Ariful Haque Choudhury are cabinet ministers, while Sylhet-born Humaiun Kobir serves as state minister for foreign affairs. Their positions give the region a voice in government. It remains to be seen whether they can help turn that influence into real progress at Osmani Airport, with the expansion finally delivered for the people who rely on it.