However, before its completion, the project had already begun to impact the surrounding environment. The Maheshkhali Channel, about 2.5 kilometers near the project area, is losing its navigability. The channel is facing a significant environmental risk. The local life of nearby Sonadia Island is also at risk.

In response, the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) has recommended removing the runway's supporting structures, which were built by piling in the channel.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is implementing the project. Initially, the cost was estimated at approximately BDT 15.6886 billion. However, in December 2023, an additional BDT 2.25 billion was approved. Two Chinese companies—Changjiang Ichang Waterway Engineering Bureau (CYDWB) and China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation-JV—are working on construction.

The airport expansion project in the sea channel began in 2021. The BIWTA visited the site the following year. During the inspection, the BIWTA raised concerns about the potential impact on the navigational routes like the Bakkhali River and Maheshkhali Channel, as well as the surrounding environment.

It has been learned from stakeholders that expanding Cox's Bazar Airport on land would have required demolishing a large amount of private infrastructure, particularly hotels and motels. To avoid the long-term and costly land acquisition process, CAAB expanded the runway in the sea channel. They acquired 682 acres of land near the riverbank without consulting the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA), responsible for river ports and waterways.

Despite multiple concerns raised by BIWTA and requests for approval regarding the use of the foreshore and river, the project authorities ignored these warnings. When the project raised concerns about the loss of navigability in the river, BIWTA formed an expert committee to assess the damage to the waterway. If the project causes a risk of losing navigability in the river, a special committee of experts from BIWTA visited the project area on November 8 of last year to assess the damage to the waterway. The committee was chaired by AKM Arif Uddin, director (Ports and River ports) of the organization, and its other members included Md Nazrul Islam, additional director (Hydrography Department), and ASM Ashrafuzzaman, acting chief engineer of the Engineering Department. The committee has submitted a report this month.

The report states that if pillars are installed in the river, the flow will be obstructed, causing sediment to accumulate at the base and create shoals. Similarly, sediment accumulation is narrowing the mouth of the Maheshkhali Channel, deteriorating the Bakkhali River.

Due to the project, navigability has already been lost at the mouth of the channel near Nazirartek. As an alternative, a new channel has been created through the Sonadia Island area, which has increased the waterway length by three kilometers. This new channel is slowly expanding westward, which poses a potential threat to the local population on Sonadia Island.

The widening of Maheshkhali Channel's mouth has caused water to flow through a larger area, reducing navigability throughout. A navigability crisis has emerged in the new channel's 2.5-kilometer stretch.

The report further mentions that sediment accumulation at the mouth of Maheshkhali Channel could put Cox's Bazar-Saint Martin's route at risk due to the runway expansion. If the channel becomes blocked by sediment, all the water routes between Maheshkhali-Cox's Bazar and Chattogram-Cox's Bazar will be affected.

The report also states that the project has already impacted the surrounding environment. In the future, the local life on Sonadia Island may also face threats.

To protect the Maheshkhali Channel, the report recommends organizing an inter-ministerial meeting with the coordination of various government ministries, departments, and local authorities. It also suggests conducting proper surveys, collecting overdue VAT and income tax for foreshore and river use from CAAB, and removing the runway's supporting structures built by piling in the Maheshkhali Channel.

In response to the concerns about the river and environmental damage, Md Yunus Bhuiyan, project director of the Cox's Bazar Airport runway expansion, denied such impact. He told Bonik Barta, "A part of the sea was reclaimed to construct the runway. We obtained approval from the Ministry of Land and a no-objection certificate from the Deputy Commissioner's office. Besides a hydromorphological survey, multiple surveys were conducted before constructing the runway in the sea. If BIWTA had provided its opinion, we could not have done anything about it. During the Ecnec approval, all ministries' representatives gave their consent. Hence, there is no chance of implementing this important project violating any regulations."

According to sources from the Ministry of Shipping, at the beginning of the Cox's Bazar Airport expansion project, CAAB sought permission to build a temporary jetty to use the riverbank and implement project activities along the shore. In response to a letter from CAAB on January 6, 2022, the Ministry of Shipping directed BIWTA on March 2 of the same year to take necessary action on the matter.

Subsequently, on July 3, 2022, BIWTA asked the local Tripartite Permanent Committee in Chattogram to visit the project area and submit a report. The committee visited the area on December 6, 2022. Based on the Port Act of 1966, the committee recommended conditional approval for the airport authority to construct the foreshore, piling, and temporary jetty.

Following this, on January 26, 2023, the project authority was instructed to obtain BIWTA's no-objection certificate and pay a fee of BDT 712.1381 billion, along with VAT (15 percent) and income tax (5 percent), totaling BDT 8.189588 million. BIWTA's report claims that the due amount has increased to BDT 41.2 million. Despite multiple letters, BIWTA has accused CAAB of advancing the project without clearing the payments.

Documents show that BIWTA inquired whether a study had been conducted on the project's impact on the navigational channel. Although CAAB's project department confirmed conducting a hydromorphological survey to protect the runway's embankment, they stated that no study had been conducted on navigation or water traffic.

Notably, the project's physical infrastructure work began in July 2022. BIWTA had raised multiple concerns, including the potential change in the waterway's course and navigational risks due to the absence of proper approvals, consultations, or surveys. In a report from that time, BIWTA warned that after the project's implementation, the Maheshkhali Channel and Cox's Bazar could shrink and change direction, severely disrupting southern waterway communications. BIWTA also noted that without a memorandum of understanding (MoU) and consulting them, the project's implementation, piling, and reclamation could cause the Maheshkhali Channel to shift northward towards Sonadia Island.

When asked, AKM Arif Uddin, the chairman of the BIWTA committee and Director of the Ports and Transport Department, told Bonik Barta, "BIWTA is the guardian of the Bakkhali River and surrounding waterways. CAAB did not take our approval for the project implementation, nor did they conduct proper studies. The filling of the sea channel to construct the runway has created significant navigational risks, which are now visible. Despite informing the project authorities in various ways, they ignored our concerns. BIWTA formed a special committee to assess the damage to the sea channel, and a report has been submitted. This report will be presented to the senior government officials."

According to CAAB sources, the original plan for the runway expansion at Cox's Bazar Airport was to extend it from 6,775 feet to 9,000 feet in length and from 120 feet to 200 feet in width. Work is underway to extend the runway to 10,700 feet, with 1,300 feet covering the mouth of the Bakkhali River and part of the sea.

The runway expansion project towards the Maheshkhali Channel was initially planned to be completed by May 2024. The project cost was initially estimated at BDT 15.6886 billion. However, due to land issues and other challenges, the work is 84 percent complete. As a result, the project deadline has been extended to December this year, and the total cost has increased to BDT 17.94 billion.