About the Osmani International Airport (ZYL)

Osmani International Airport, also known as Sylhet Airport, is the third largest airport in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong. It is located in the city of Sylhet, the second largest city and the main commercial hub of the northern region of Bangladesh. The airport serves both domestic and international flights, connecting Sylhet with various destinations in Bangladesh and abroad.

The airport was built during the British rule of the Indian Subcontinent, partly to check Japanese aggression from Burma. It was formerly known as Sylhet Civil Airport but was renamed after General M A G Osmani, Commander in Chief of Independence War of Bangladesh as well as of Muktijuddhok, in 1971. The airport was initially served by domestic flights from Shahjalal International Airport by the country’s national airline Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited. After many years of lobbying by expatriates living in the UK, limited expansion of the airport was carried out to enable medium-sized aircraft, such as the Airbus A310 used by Biman, to operate. The work was completed in October 2002 and the airport was designated an international airport by the government.

However, the airport was not up to international standards to be capable of fully accommodating international flights due to many shortcomings with the instrument landing system and runway lighting system. Nevertheless, on 3 November 2002, the airport received its first international arrival. Biman flight BG020 from Kuwait via Abu Dhabi landed at 10:05 with 215 passengers en route to Dhaka. The disembarking passengers on the inaugural flight were greeted by then Finance & Planning Minister, M Saifur Rahman and State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin.

For a brief period, Biman also operated a direct service from London but was later re-routed via Dhaka. Additional expansion of the runway and improvements to the runway lighting and airport facilities were commenced in 2004 to enable wide-bodied aircraft to safely land and takeoff from the airport.

The airport has two parallel runways: one measuring 3,120 feet (1,000 meters) long and one measuring 3,600 feet (1,100 meters) long. The main terminal building has a capacity of 1 million passengers per year. The airport also has a cargo terminal building that can handle up to 50 tons per day. The airport has various facilities for passengers such as lounges, restaurants, shops, ATMs, currency exchange counters, prayer rooms, etc.

The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and is served by Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited (BBBL), which operates scheduled domestic flights within Bangladesh as well as charter flights for foreign airlines. Private airlines Novoair Limited and US-Bangla Airlines Limited also operate domestic flights to Dhaka from Sylhet.

The airport is strategically located near several tourist attractions such as Lawachhara National Park, Madhabpur Tea Garden, etc. The city of Sylhet is also known for its rich cultural heritage and natural beauty.

Osmani International Airport is an important gateway for travelers who want to explore the northern region of Bangladesh or visit other parts of South Asia.

General Information

ICAO ID: VGSY

IATA CODE: ZYL

Latitude: 245740.83N

Longitude: 0915217.89E

TWR FREQ: 122.9 MHz, 122.5 MHz

VOR: 116.4 MHz

NDB: 372 KHz