The Hathazari Airfield, a World War II–era airbase in Chattogram’s Hathazari upazila and a site of historic importance, has been lying in a state of decay due to decades of neglect.
Located in the Adarshapara area of the upazila, the airbase is now all but forgotten. A lone building stands abandoned beside a road inside a small orchard, its roof and walls crumbling as bushes take over the structure.
Nearby, the airbase’s observation tower, now surrounded by numerous houses, is filled with garbage, while large sections of its walls are badly damaged.
Both structures sit amid farmland, reflecting how the area around the old airbase has gradually changed over the decades.
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The airbase was established in 1944 as a strategic military installation towards the end of World War II and played a supporting role in the Allied Burma Campaign (1942–1945), a brutal conflict in Southeast Asia in which Commonwealth, Chinese and American forces fought Imperial Japan.
Built near the Chattogram–Nazirhat rail route, the airfield was used as a supply point and staging base for the United States Air Forces’ 10th Air Force from May to September in the year 1945.
It also served as a radio relay station operated by the 128th Army Communications System Squadron. In addition, several Royal Air Force squadrons were based there at different times between December 1944 and May 1945, according to sources.
After the war ended, the airfield was closed and gradually fell out of use.
“I have seen this airbase since I was a child. It now lies in a dilapidated state. It’s shocking that a place with such history has been left to rot,” said Hafez Mohammed Shafique, a local.
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Nurul Haque, 60, who has been living in a semi-pucca house beside the observation tower for the past 25 years, said, “We have heard since childhood that aeroplanes used to land here during the war. The then administration had rented the land from locals for the airfield but did not purchase it. So after the war ended, everyone reclaimed their own land.”
Contacted, Mohammad Abdullah Al Mumin, UNO of Hathazari, said, “We have learned that this is a World War II site, but no action has been taken by the upazila administration so far.”
He, however, said the administration plans to visit the site soon, and, if it is found worth preserving, the relevant government departments will be informed to take the necessary steps.
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Bangla Academy fellow and history researcher Md Shamsul Haque said the airbase is a rare reminder of Chattogram’s role during World War II, but neglect is slowly erasing that history.
“Preserving the site is of utmost importance to keep the memory of our wartime heritage alive,” he said.
Dr Nahid Sultana, regional director of the Department of Archaeology in Chattogram, said they were unaware of the presence of the airbase.
“We have already identified and drafted a list of archaeological sites in Hathazari. During our next visit, we will inspect this airbase and, if it meets the criteria, we will take necessary steps for its preservation,” she told The Daily Star.
