Dhaka airport: PM opens iconic third terminal

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the iconic third terminal partially today with the slogan "connecting dreams to reality". Before the inauguration, the prime minister walked around the terminal and observed the facilities. She also talked to the airport staffers. State Minister for Civil Aviation M Mahbub Ali accompanied the prime minister. Later, she addressed a programme where Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen, Dhaka south and north city corporation Mayors Sheikh Falze Noor Taposh and Atiqul Islam and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, among others, were present. The four-year construction work of the magnificent third terminal of Dhaka airport was wrapped up yesterday. From today, 10 to 12 planes will be able to park at the new apron, and travellers will be able to use the third terminal by the end of next year, said Abdul Malek, chief engineer at CAAB. Around 6,000 employees and officials will be needed to run the third terminal. "Around 10 percent of the work remains to be done. Integration, calibration, and testing of the equipment will start after the soft launch to make the third terminal building fully operational," Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh told The Daily Star. The third terminal project, costing Tk 21,300 crore, commenced on December 28, 2019. The government contributed Taka 5,000 crore, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided the remaining funding, according to BSS report. Covering an area of 542,000 square metres, the third terminal will boast a floor space of 230,000 square metres, housing 115 check-in counters, 66 departure immigration desks, 59 arrival immigration and 3 VIP immigration desks. Upon full-fledged operation of the 3rd terminal, Dhaka Airport's annual passenger and cargo handling capacity is expected to double. The annual passenger handling capacity of the HSIA would be 24 million (including the old terminals) which is now only eight million and the airport can handle 500,000 tonnes of cargo each year. The construction work of 37 new aircraft parking area and two taxiways connecting to the apron area have already been completed. The third terminal is designed to connect with a multimodal transport system to enable passengers to enter and exit the international airport smoothly. The new terminal will be connected with the elevated expressway, underground railway (MRT-5, Kamalapur to airport portion) and also with the airport railway station through an underground tunnel. Besides, hajj pilgrims will be able to access the third terminal from Ashkona hajj camp through an underground tunnel. The third terminal is expected to be operated and maintained by a Japanese company under public private partnership. Ahead of the third terminal's full operation, different foreign airlines are eyeing to start their operation from Dhaka Airport, which is expected to play a great role to take the country's aviation sector forward, experts said.
Published on: 2023-10-07 08:11:37.603132 +0200 CEST