Third terminal open on 16 December: Tourism Minister

The third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka will be opened on 16 December, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said on Tuesday.

Initially, few flights will be operated from the terminal and gradually bring it into full operation, he said. The minister said while speaking to journalists after inspecting the third terminal on Tuesday morning. He was with Foreign Affairs State Minister-1 Humayun Kabir, Planning State Minister Junaid Saki and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Ashik Chowdhury.

“We want to start on December 16, whatever it takes,” Millat said. Preparations for the launch are under way, with daily testing and trial runs of various machines and systems at the terminal. Overall progress on the project currently stands at around 57 percent, Steps have been taken to expedite the remaining work, including internet connectivity, machinery and the integration of various systems, the minister said. 

 Once fully operational, the third terminal is expected to increase the airport's passenger-handling capacity by nearly four times compared with its existing capacity. The terminal will be capable of handling up to 250 aircraft, with the required capacity to be achieved through adequate space and supporting infrastructure.

 “After discussions with our Japanese partners, Bangladesh's revenue share has been increased from 15 per cent to 27 per cent,” minister said about Bangladesh's revenue share from the operation of the terminal.

He added that repayment of instalments on the project loan had already begun, with around Tk900 crore still outstanding. Millat expressed hope that the opening of the third terminal would increase the interest of foreign investors in Bangladesh from next year.

He said the terminal was being prepared in a way that would allow foreign investors to develop a positive impression of Bangladesh's capabilities and investment environment as soon as they arrived in the country. Asked about the airport's name whether it be possible to change, the minister said ‘there was no need to spend public money simply to rename it.’ 

“We are focusing on opening the third terminal, not changing the airport's name.” “The government's immediate priority is to open the third terminal quickly and ensure the quality of its services,” he said. According to the government's plan, the terminal will begin partial operations on 16 December before being brought into full operation in phases.

The government is targeting the middle of next year to hand over responsibility for the terminal to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the minister said.