Dhaka Airport 3rd terminal 51% complete: CAAB Chairman

Fifty-one percent of the construction work of the third terminal at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has been completed so far with the iconic terminal set to be partially open for operation in October next year.

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman disclosed the latest progress of the third terminal on Sunday.

While talking with the newly elected executive body of Aviation and Tourism Journalists' Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB) at his office at city's Kurmitola, the CAAB chief said, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the partial operation of the third terminal, read a press release of ATJFB.

He also informed that the third terminal will be fully functional by the end of 2024.

ATJFB President Tanzim Anwar led the delegation on behalf of the organisation.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in December 2019 inaugurated the construction works of terminal 3 which will cost Tk21,399 crore.  When the project was first conceived, its outlay was projected at Tk13,610 crore.

About the progress of the construction work of the terminal, the CAAB boss said, from now on, the pace of the work will become faster in the next one year.

"Different types of equipment are going to be installed at the terminal. Later calibration and adjustment of those equipment will have to be ensured which will take time," he added.

Explaining about the delay in starting second phase work of Third Terminal, the CAAB chairman said, they have added some additional works including construction of the VVIP terminal with the third terminal for which approval from the donor organisation—Jica was needed.

"Getting approval from Jica in this regard was delayed. Besides, we will have to change the Development Project Proposal (DPP) and need the government's nod to this end," he also said.

"That's why it's getting delayed to start the additional works of the Third Terminal," added the CAAB chief.

The three-storeyed terminal building, which will be 2.30 lakh square metres, will be built by Mitsubishi and Fujita of Japan and Samsung of Korea.

It will have 115 check-in counters, 64 departure and 64 arrival immigration desks, 27 baggage scanning machines, 40 scanning machines, 12 boarding bridges, 16 carousels and 11 body scanners.

There will also be a new car parking facility for 1,230 vehicles, a new 63,000 square metre import and export cargo complex, a 5.42 lakh square metre apron for 37 aircrafts, among others, according to civil aviation ministry officials.

Around two crore passengers will be able to use the HSIA following construction of the third terminal, 70% of the funding for which is coming from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica).

In its current form, HSIA can handle eight million passengers a year. But the number of passengers is expected to reach 14 million by 2025 and 24.8 million by 2035, so the timing of terminal 3 could not be more crucial.