Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat told Parliament on Sunday that the Awami League government opened a building in the name of completion of third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as still Tk 902 crore is needed to operationalise the terminal.
“When we came into the office, we found that the fascist Awami League government inaugurated a building in the name of its (third termination) completion,” he said, while replying to a supplementary question from NCP lawmaker Abdul Hannan Masud (Noakhali-6),
The minister said the project, originally estimated at around Tk 13,000 crore, underwent several revisions before the cost reached Tk 21,600 crore.
“When we came into the office, we found that the terminal has been constructed at a cost of Tk 21,600 crore,” Millat said.
He said the third terminal was presented as completed by the AL government, but several essential components, including the integration of machinery and related Airport Development and Construction (ADC) works, remained unfinished.
“The machines have arrived, but no integration has been done. The other ADC works related to it has also not been completed,” he said.
“That means, a property worth USD 2.1 billion was on the verge of being wasted. We need to make it operational as quickly as possible so that we can generate revenue and repay the loan,” the minister said.
He said the project was implemented with a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), and the government has already repaid Tk 1,100 crore as an instalment after assuming office.
“The loan has to be repaid. To repay it, we need to operationalise the terminal as quickly as possible,” Millat said.
The minister said some previous arrears remained unpaid and, including dues payable to ADC and the funds required to complete the remaining works, the government had calculated that Tk 902 crore would be needed.
“We have calculated accurately and transparently that Tk 902 crore will be required. Once this payment is made, we will be able to launch the third terminal,” he said.
Millat said the government approached the Planning Ministry seeking approval for the additional allocation, while the Finance Ministry is taking steps to arrange the funds.
He said the third terminal would significantly increase passenger-handling capacity and revenue.
“At present, we can handle around 1.2 million passengers. Once the third terminal starts operating, we will be able to handle twice that number,” he said.
The increased revenue, he added, would help the government repay the JICA loan.
“If we can start the terminal sooner, we can earn revenue sooner and repay the loan sooner,” he said.