Dhaka: Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sheikh Bashir Uddin today announced that the opening date of the highly anticipated third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) remains unconfirmed, pending the completion of an operator agreement. “An agreement needs to be signed with an operator to manage the third terminal, and the operator will need a few months for preparations after that,” he stated during a press conference organized by the ministry at the Secretariat on World Tourism Day.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, Aviation Secretary Nasrin Jahan responded to inquiries about ongoing negotiations with a Japanese consortium, considered the primary candidate for the management contract. She confirmed that talks are still underway, stating, “Negotiations with them have not yet been finished.”
The third terminal is recognized as a landmark infrastructure project aimed at transforming HSIA into a regional aviation hub. Constructed at a cost of over Taka 21,000 crore with Japanese assistance, the terminal is engineered to accommodate 20 million passengers annually. It includes advanced facilities such as 26 boarding bridges, automated baggage handling, and enhanced passenger comfort.
Although the physical construction is mostly complete, officials indicated that operational readiness hinges on finalizing agreements with an experienced international operator to ensure world-class service standards, digitized operations, and compliance with safety regulations.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) conveyed optimism that once operational challenges are overcome, the new terminal will substantially alleviate passenger congestion, enhance global connectivity, and usher in a new era for the nation’s aviation sector.