Dhaka Airport’s third terminal to partially open on Dec 16: Minister
The third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is expected to partially open on December 16, with around 20 flights initially operating from the facility.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat made the announcement on Tuesday.
The terminal will be brought into operation gradually, while efforts are underway to complete equipment integration and resolve issues related to its public-private partnership (PPP) arrangement, he told journalists after inspecting the facility.
Millat said the number of flights would be increased gradually.
He said the terminal had earlier undergone a soft opening, but could not become operational as the equipment inside the building had not been integrated.
“Only the building was opened, but the machines inside were not integrated and there was no proper initiative to make it operational,” he said.
The minister said the government had held several meetings with Japanese partners involved in the project to resolve the issues.
Under the original agreement, Bangladesh was supposed to receive 15 percent of the revenue, while the Japanese partners would receive 85 percent. Following negotiations, Bangladesh’s share was increased to 27 percent, he said.
“Civil Aviation has already paid Tk 1,100 crore from its existing earnings, and another Tk 900 crore has to be paid in December,” he said.
Millat said the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) was under financial pressure as existing terminals’ earnings and airline revenue were being used to repay loans while the third terminal remained non-operational.
“If the terminal is not opened quickly, we will have to continue paying from our existing earnings,” he said.
He said CAAB and relevant agencies would continue discussions with the consortium to complete the remaining work.
The minister said the third terminal would eventually be able to handle around 200 flights.
On baggage services, Millat said a protocol had been prepared to reduce passengers’ waiting time for luggage.
Under the plan, passengers would receive their baggage within 18 to 45 minutes, while the new terminal operator would have to complete baggage delivery within 15 to 40 minutes. Failure to meet the timeline could lead to fines imposed by CAAB, he added.
He said 57 percent of the integration work for the terminal’s systems had already been completed, while imported equipment was undergoing testing and trials.
“An airport is a mirror of a country. When people arrive, they should understand what kind of country Bangladesh is,” he said.
On Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ role in the third terminal, Millat said the government was considering increasing the national flag carrier’s involvement in handling operations. He said details would be finalised after discussions and Biman would need to improve its baggage handling capacity and staff training.
He said the government wanted to increase Biman’s fleet, saying a stronger national carrier was important for a country with a population of around 20 crore. He cited Ethiopian Airlines as an example of a national carrier with a large fleet despite Ethiopia being a developing country.
Millat said the government would avoid unnecessary expenditure, including changing the airport’s name, as such a move would require significant costs due to changes needed in international systems.
He said full operation of the third terminal would take time, with different components, including immigration facilities, being introduced gradually. He expected the terminal to become fully operational by March or April next year.
He said the third terminal was built under a PPP model involving Japanese partners, and the government was working with the planning ministry, foreign ministry, Investment Bangladesh and other stakeholders to complete the process.
During the inspection, the minister was accompanied by State Minister for Foreign Affairs-1 Humaiun Kobir, State Minister for Planning Zunaid Saki, and BIDA Chairman Ashik Chowdhury.