BSS) – The third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is set to begin partial operations on December 16, initially handling two arriving and two departing flights, under a phased operational plan, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said here today.

“If everything proceeds according to plan, the third terminal will become partially operational on December 16. Initially, operations will begin with two arriving and two departing flights,” he said.

Necessary activities would subsequently continue towards making the terminal fully operational, the minister added.

He was addressing a preparatory meeting on the terminal’s inauguration and commencement of operations at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) conference room, said a ministry press release.

The meeting discussed commencing operations at the required immigration booths, installing baggage belts and necessary scanners, conducting trial operations and signing agreements.
Stakeholders exchanged views on the preparations and identified the actions required to open the terminal.

Millat said making the third terminal operational was an important commitment of the present government and urged all agencies concerned to complete their respective tasks within the stipulated timeframe.

“The honourable Prime Minister’s directive to ensure that Terminal 3 begins operations on schedule must receive the highest priority,” he said.

The minister acknowledged the sustained efforts of those involved in the project, saying their work had brought the terminal to the stage of commencing operations.

He called upon the agencies concerned to prioritise implementation of the meeting’s decisions and expressed the hope that coordinated efforts and cooperation among stakeholders would help achieve the December 16 opening target.

Invest Bangladesh Authority Chairman Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun, Dhaka-18 lawmaker S M Jahangir Hossain and the Prime Minister’s Special Assistant for Civil Aviation and Tourism Gias Uddin attended the meeting.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Dr Nurun Nahar Chowdhury, National Board of Revenue Chairman Ahsan Habib, and representatives of the ministry, CAAB and the Japanese consortium were also present.