The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh is the main body responsible for aviation regulation, covering safety oversight, licensing of operators and personnel, air navigation services and the operation of most airports. Policy sits with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, which also handles air services negotiations with other states. Other agencies matter on specific points: customs for parts and cargo, Bangladesh Bank and authorised dealer banks for foreign exchange, the tax authorities for withholding and VAT, and Invest Bangladesh for foreign investment. We help clients identify the relevant bodies early and confirm in writing which one decides each point.

In outline, the airline's home state usually designates it under the bilateral air services agreement with Bangladesh, and the airline then applies to CAAB for the relevant foreign operator permission, supported by its air operator certificate, insurance, security programme and operational documents. Schedules and slots must then be approved. Commercial steps run alongside, including ground handling, fuel supply, sales agency and banking arrangements for remitting revenue. Timing depends on the bilateral position, capacity entitlements and how complete the application is. We review the full document set and help the airline anticipate the questions aviation regulation will raise.

Foreign ownership in aviation businesses is possible in some segments but is subject to policy limits, licensing conditions and the ownership and control tests that apply to national carriers under air services agreements. A scheduled passenger airline raises different aviation regulation issues from a maintenance organisation, a flight school or a ground handling company. The position also depends on current investment policy, which Invest Bangladesh now administers. Because the rules can change and are applied case by case, we review the latest policy, the intended structure and any shareholder protections before a client commits capital to the business.

Airport projects may be procured as conventional public works funded by the government or development partners, as public-private partnerships, or through government-to-government arrangements with a foreign state and its nominated companies. Each route has a different legal basis, approval chain and level of competition. Public-private partnership projects now run through Invest Bangladesh, which absorbed the former PPP Authority in August 2026, while CAAB remains responsible for aviation regulation and airport operations. We help bidders and sponsors understand the procurement route, the approvals behind it and the contractual protections that are realistic in that context. Bidders should check this first.

A ground handling or cargo operator generally needs a company properly established in Bangladesh, the relevant authorisation from CAAB as airport operator and regulator, security clearances for personnel and vehicles, and commercial agreements with airlines and the airport. Cargo businesses also deal with customs licensing, bonded warehouse rules where applicable and dangerous goods requirements under aviation regulation. Trade licences, tax registration and fire and environmental approvals for facilities may also apply. The list depends on the services and airport concerned, so we prepare a licence map with expiry dates before operations begin.

Lessors usually focus on registration and deregistration of the aircraft, the enforceability of repossession and export rights, the operator's ability to remit rentals and maintenance reserves in foreign currency, withholding tax on lease payments and the treatment of insurance and reinsurance. Aviation regulation also affects airworthiness, maintenance records and the operator's approvals, which influence value at return. We advise on the Bangladesh-law aspects, including powers of attorney and deregistration documents, and coordinate with the lessor's English or New York counsel on the main lease. Check return conditions at the outset, as they decide how smoothly the aircraft is redelivered.

Yes, where the contract contains an arbitration agreement. Many airport construction contracts include dispute boards or engineer determinations followed by arbitration, which may be seated in Dhaka or abroad. Arbitrations seated in Bangladesh are governed by the Arbitration Act 2001, and foreign awards can be enforced in Bangladesh under the New York Convention framework. Public works contracts may have their own dispute provisions, and the Commercial Courts Act 2026 may be relevant to court proceedings. Notice requirements and time bars in the contract are often decisive, so we review them as soon as a dispute appears.

There is no single answer. Some approvals turn on routine documentary review, while others involve inspections, inter-agency consultation, security clearance or negotiations between governments. Incomplete or inconsistent applications are the most common cause of delay in aviation regulation matters. We do not promise fixed timetables for regulatory decisions, but we help clients build a realistic plan by sequencing filings, preparing documents to the regulator's expected standard and identifying which approvals sit on the critical path for the commercial launch, the start of construction or financial close. Building in contingency for queries is sensible.