Cox's Bazar Airport will remain closed from Saturday (May 13, 2023) 7am to Sunday (May 14, 2023) 7pm due to the very severe cyclonic storm Mocha in the Bay of Bengal. However, the decision on Shah Amanat International Airport of Chattogram will be taken after assessing the situation in the morning, said Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority chairman Air Vice Marshal Mafidur Rahman. Earlier, The Bangladesh Inter-Education Board Coordination Committee gave a direction which said that the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) exam of Sunday (May 14) was postponed under five boards; Chattogram board, Cumilla board, Barisal board, Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board and Technical Board. Read More: Cyclone Mocha likely to cross Cox’s Bazar-Myanmar’s north coast by Sunday evening The very severe cyclonic storm Mocha in east central bay and adjoining area moved north-northeastwards over the same area and was centred at 06 pm today about 930 kms south-southwest of Chattogram port, 860 kms south-southwest of Cox's Bazar port, 890 kms south-southwest of Mongla Port and 855 kms south­ southwest of Payra port. Maritime ports of Cox's Bazar, Chattogram and Payra have been advised to lower local warning signal number 4 and instead hoist great danger signal number 8. The coastal districts of Cox's Bazar, Chattogram, Feni, Noakhali, Laxmipur, Chandpur, Barishal, Bhola, Patuakhali, Jhalokathi, Pirojpur, Borguna and their offshore islands and chars will come under great danger signal number 8. Read More: 409 shelters prepared in Khulna as depression intensifies into Cyclone Mocha

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday unveiled the foundation stone of the runway extension project of Cox's Bazar Airport, aiming to enable it to offer a longer range of domestic and international passenger services. The Prime Minister inaugurated the construction work on the maritime runway, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, virtually from her official residence Ganobhaban. Read: Cox's Bazar Airport set to get a spectacular maritime runway The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) has taken the Tk 1,568.86 crore project to construct the country’s longest runway by extending the existing 9,000-foot runway by another 1,700 on the Bay of Bengal by reclaiming land from the sea.

Bangladesh is set to add another feather to its development journey with the formal groundbreaking inauguration of the runway extension work along the Sea at Cox's Bazar Airport on Sunday. This maritime runway, the first of its kind in Bangladesh, is seen as a major step towards promoting Cox’s Bazar, the country's popular beach town, to an international metropolis. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is scheduled to virtually inaugurate the groundbreaking ceremony and unveil the foundation stone of the runway extension at 10am, said an official. Read PM inaugurates work on Cox's Bazar Airport’s runway upgradation Apparently inspired by Hong Kong International Airport, the government of Bangladesh has taken the runway expansion project at the Cox's Bazar Airport by reclaiming land from the sea. Upon completion of the project, all types of large aircraft will be able to take off and land on the maritime runway, officials said. The US$ 185 million project will help boost the development of Cox’s Bazar and the neighbouring regions, they said. Read Bangladesh unlocks tourism The government is currently implementing a large number of projects in Cox's Bazar under a mega plan to develop the tourism city like Singapore and Hong Kong.