Govt to reopen Dhaka airport third terminal negotiations with Japan on Friday
The government will reopen negotiations on Friday (13 March) with a Japanese consortium to operationalise the long-delayed Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, amid renewed efforts by the new administration to resolve operational issues and launch the facility.
The meeting will be held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marking the first formal negotiation under the newly formed BNP-led government to break the long-standing deadlock over the terminal's operation and management.
Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam are likely to represent the Bangladesh, a foreign ministry official told BSS this evening.
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A senior official of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) said authorities are hopeful of a positive outcome as there is strong political commitment from the highest level of the government to make the terminal operational.
Officials said the delay in launching the terminal largely stemmed from indecision during the previous interim government, when negotiations with the Japanese consortium over terminal management, operational control and revenue-sharing arrangements failed to reach a final agreement.
The Japanese consortium involved in the project comprises Japan Airport Terminal Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Sojitz Corporation and Narita International Airport Corporation, while the terminal project itself was largely financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Sources said the outcome of tomorrow's negotiations will be presented to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday for further policy direction.
Approved in 2017 and launched in 2019 at a cost of around Tk21,398 crore, the HSIA Third Terminal is now more than 99 percent complete, but full commercial operations have yet to begin despite a soft inauguration in October 2023.
The terminal spans around 542,000 square metres and is designed to handle an additional 12–16 million passengers annually along with nearly 900,000 tonnes of cargo, significantly expanding Dhaka airport's capacity.
