Dhaka airport’s third terminal
Construction of Dhaka Airport’s Third Terminal set to be fully complete by April 5
In a significant development for Bangladesh’s aviation sector, the construction of the third terminal at Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is slated to be fully completed by April 5, 2024, with the terminal expected to be fully operational by October. This marks a pivotal moment in the expansion and modernization of the country’s aviation infrastructure.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) will take over the terminal’s responsibilities from the contractor once the construction is completed. This transition will initiate the process of moving operations from the old terminals to the new one, focusing on Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) project.
AKM Maksudul Islam, the project director, told UNB that nearly all construction work, including civil engineering tasks, is nearing completion. Any remaining work is expected to be finalized in the first week of April, ensuring a smooth handover to CAAB by April 6. Preparations are underway to fully launch the terminal’s operations in October, including the completion of system integration and calibration tasks, which have successfully passed multiple evaluations.
Read more: Terminal 3 will transform Bangladesh's passenger and cargo handling capabilities: EU Ambassador
Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, Chairman of CAAB, informed UNB that the third terminal is almost ready for flight operations and is expected to be fully functional by October. The completion of this terminal will significantly increase Dhaka airport’s capacity, facilitating the growth of domestic and international airlines’ operations. This expansion is anticipated to improve passenger amenities, increase revenue, and enhance the airport’s overall efficiency.
Terminal 3 will transform Bangladesh's passenger and cargo handling capabilities: EU Ambassador
Ambassador of the European Union Delegation to Bangladesh, Charles Whiteley, has said the opening of Dhaka Airport’s Third Terminal will transform Bangladesh's passenger and cargo handling capabilities.
"Spectacular opening by Hon. PM Hasina of the impressive new airport terminal in Dhaka — which will transform Bangladesh passenger and cargo capabilities, including the potential to handle 24 million passengers per year," the EU ambassador wrote on X (formerly known as Twitter).
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He was seen taking a selfie with Australian High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Jeremy Bruer, at the new terminal which he shared from his social media account.
Deputy Head of Mission at the German Embassy, Jan Janowski, also shared his experience of visiting Terminal 3 which had its soft-opening today (October 07, 2023).
"Bangladesh aviation taking off soon. Stunned by the beauty of the new Terminal 3 of HSIA, Dhaka — A lot of German technology behind the scenes, can't wait for the 1st Airbus 380 landing here," he wrote.
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Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today soft-opened Terminal 3 of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and said that either Bangladesh's resort town Cox’s Bazar or Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka may soon become an international air transportation hub due to Bangladesh’s geographical location.
Govt will decide on ground handling at Dhaka airport’s third terminal and Biman is ready: CEO
There has been no official decision yet on the ground handling work at the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim has said.
“The prime minister gave a clear directive during her visit to the airport that the ground handling should be improved, it should be world-class. We have been working to ensure that since then," he said.
“Since then, we have been procuring new equipment. We have already bought new equipment worth Tk 1,000 crore, and a Tk 600-700 crore budget to buy new equipment is in the pipeline. We have recruited manpower as well,” said the national flag carrier CEO.
“There are limitations in this too, but we are working day and night,” he said.
Also read: 12 boarding bridges will be operational when Dhaka Airport’s 3rd Terminal partially opens this Oct: CAAB
A project with Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) is on, he added.