Third Terminal may open to passengers in December

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s (HSIA) long-awaited Third Terminal could begin passenger operations in December, as aviation authorities move closer to finalising an agreement with a Japanese company to operate and maintain the facility.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has completed its evaluation of the company’s technical and financial proposals, clearing the way for negotiations expected to begin in the first week of September.

CAAB officials said they are aiming to sign a final agreement in October and proceed with a limited soft opening of the terminal on December 16.

The Japanese company submitted its Request for Proposal last week, after which an evaluation committee reviewed both its technical capability and financial offer.

S M Lablu Rahman, CAAB member (Administration) and chairman of the proposal evaluation committee, said the evaluation process had been completed.

“As the next step, we will hold discussions with the Japanese company. After the discussions, there will be an agreement. We are moving toward our target of a soft opening by December 16,” he told the media.

“We hope we will be able to complete everything within the stipulated time.”

Construction of the Third Terminal began on December 30, 2019, and it was ceremonially soft-opened in October 2023 after more than 99% of the project was completed.

Yet passengers have not been able to use the facility for regular operations for nearly three years amid delays in finalising its operation and maintenance arrangements.

Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mehboob Khan, CAAB member for Operations and Planning and vice-chairman of the evaluation committee, said the RFP followed lengthy discussions with the Japanese side.

“If everything goes well, we hope we will be able to reach a final agreement within a short time,” he said.

“If everything remains in order, it will be possible to open the terminal on December 16 as announced by the government.”

Preparations are meanwhile underway for the proposed opening, including system testing, recruitment and staff training, security arrangements and coordination among immigration, airlines, ground handlers and other agencies.

The 230,000-square-metre terminal is expected to dramatically expand the country’s main international airport.

The existing first and second terminals can handle around 8 million passengers annually; with the Third Terminal operational, total capacity is expected to rise to as many as 20 million passengers a year.

It will have parking facilities for 37 aircraft, 100 check-in counters, 10 self-check-in kiosks, 16 regular baggage belts and four dedicated belts for oversized baggage.

The terminal also includes automated baggage-handling facilities, modern baggage storage, airline lounges, baby-care facilities, children’s play areas, health inspection and first-aid rooms, disease-testing facilities and an isolation area.

FP/R