77 pc work of HSIA’s 3rd terminal completed: CAAB chairman

More than 77 percent of construction work of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) have already been completed while the much-awaited new terminal is set to be soft launched in October this year.

“We will complete 90 percent of work by the first week of October to make a soft opening,” said Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman in a media briefing at the construction site of 3rd terminal today.

He said the date of the soft launching will be fixed as per the schedule of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

The chairman said the construction part of the terminal will be completed by October this year while the terminal will be made fully operational through test run of various gears by end of 2024.

“After the soft opening, we will take handover of the terminal from the contractors as well as installation and calibration of different equipment will be taken place in next one year,” he said.

The CAAB chairman said the 12 boarding gates with double entry bridges of the Third terminal will be operational by next year while the additional 14 boarding bridges are expected to be operational afterwards.

After full-fledged operation of the 3rd terminal, he said the annual passenger handling capacity of the HSIA would be 20 million which is now only eight million.

The construction work of 36 new aircraft parking area and two taxiways connecting to the apron area have already been completed, he said.

He also said that a study is underway to outsource ground handling works to a third party, potentially a Japanese company.

The signing of the agreement is expected by mid-next year, following which the third party will assume responsibility for these services. Until the agreement is finalised, CAAB will continue to handle these activities.

Chairman Ali emphasised that many international airports around the world have multiple ground handlers, and the choice of service providers rests with the airlines.

Currently, Biman Bangladesh Airlines has been providing ground handling services at the HSIA’s existing terminal 1 and 2.

The third terminal project, costing Taka 21,300 crore, commenced on December 28, 2019. The government contributed Tk 5,000 crore, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will provide the remaining funding.

Covering an area of 542,000 square metres, the third terminal will boast a floor space of 230,000 square metres, housing 177 check-in counters, 64 departure immigration desks, and 64 arrival immigration desks, according to project sources. (BSS)