Dense fog has severely disrupted operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka after its Instrument Landing System (ILS) Category 2 became nonfunctional. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh said a Thai Airways aircraft accidentally damaged the high antenna approach lights on October 29, reducing the system to Category 1. As a result, 5 to 8 flights are being diverted daily to nearby airports such as Chattogram, Sylhet, and Kolkata. The authority expects it will take three months to restore Category 2 capability.

The downgrade has caused major inconvenience for passengers, especially those on early morning and late-night international flights, who often face long delays or diversions. Airlines are incurring higher operational costs due to extra fuel, rescheduling, and penalties. Officials said the damaged lights are expensive and must be imported, with tenders already issued. Aviation experts noted that regular maintenance and pre-winter inspections could have prevented the disruption.

Authorities are working to repair the lighting system quickly, though they confirmed that upgrading to Category 3 is not feasible due to high-rise buildings near the runway.