Barisal Airport

Barisal Airport is a domestic airport serving the southern divisional city of Barisal (officially Barishal) in Bangladesh. The airport acts as a vital air link between Barisal and the capital Dhaka, facilitating faster communication and economic connectivity in the region’s riverine geography.

In the past, several private and national airlines—including GMG Airlines, Royal Bengal Airlines, and United Airways—operated scheduled flights between Barisal and Dhaka. After a long hiatus, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, resumed weekly flight operations in April 2015, nearly nine years after suspending services.

Barisal Airport

Barisal Airport (BZL / VGBR)

Location: Rahamatpur, Babuganj Upazila, Barisal, Bangladesh
Type: Domestic Airport
Operator: Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB)
IATA: BZL | ICAO: VGBR

Location

Barisal Airport is located in the Rahamatpur area of Babuganj Upazila, approximately 12 kilometers from Barisal city center. The airport’s proximity to the city makes it an important transportation hub for residents and businesses in the southern region of Bangladesh.

History

Before the construction of the airport, residents of Barisal faced significant travel challenges due to the city’s isolation by numerous rivers and limited road infrastructure. The demand for an airport grew in the late 1970s and early 1980s, as local civic groups and business communities organized movements, rallies, and demonstrations urging the government to establish air connectivity with Dhaka.

In response to these demands, the government approved the project, and construction began in the early 1980s.

• The airport was built in 1985, covering an area of 163 acres, with a total estimated cost of BDT 4 million.
• It was officially inaugurated on 3 December 1995 by then-President Abdur Rahman Biswas.
• The first flight was operated by Aero Bengal Airlines, a private carrier, followed by services from Biman Bangladesh Airlines in November 1995.

Role During Cyclone Sidr (2007)

Barisal Airport played a crucial humanitarian role during the devastating Cyclone Sidr in November 2007, one of the deadliest natural disasters in Bangladesh’s history. The airport became a central hub for relief operations, enabling rapid air transport of emergency supplies and personnel to the affected areas.

Relief materials—including drinking water, food grains, medical aid, blankets, and rescue teams—were dispatched through this airport, helping save thousands of lives in the cyclone-ravaged coastal districts. The event highlighted the airport’s strategic and humanitarian importance in the national disaster management framework.

Passenger and Flight Statistics

Between 1995 and 2009, Barisal Airport handled a total of 158,987 passengers and facilitated over 20,000 flight operations, including:

• Passenger flights

• Training flights

• Cargo flights

• Other operational movements

The airport witnessed its highest passenger traffic in 1999 and the highest number of total flight operations in 2000.

Current Status

Although operations at Barisal Airport remain limited, periodic domestic flights continue under the supervision of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB). There have been renewed discussions regarding the expansion and modernization of the airport to handle larger aircraft and increased passenger demand, given Barisal’s growing importance as a commercial and administrative center in southern Bangladesh.

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