The third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka will be partially opened on 16 December, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said on Tuesday.
Initially, one or two flights will be operated from the terminal, with plans to gradually bring it into full operation, he said.
The minister made the remarks while speaking to journalists after inspecting the third terminal on Tuesday morning. He was accompanied by Foreign Affairs State Minister-1 Humayun Kabir, Planning State Minister Junaid Saki and Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) Chairman Ashik Chowdhury.
“We want to open it 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 per cent, the minister said. Steps have been taken to expedite the remaining work, including internet connectivity, machinery and the integration of various systems.
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.
Bangladesh's revenue share increased
The minister said Bangladesh's revenue share from the operation of the terminal had also been increased following discussions with Japanese partners.
“After discussions with our Japanese partners, Bangladesh's revenue share has been increased from 15 per cent to 27 per cent,” he said.
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.
No need to rename airport
Asked about a possible change to the airport's name, the minister said there was no need to spend public money simply to rename it.
“The government's immediate priority is to open the third terminal quickly and ensure the quality of its services,” he said.
“We are focusing on opening the third terminal, not changing the airport's name.”
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.
FP/A
