Dhaka airport's third terminal conducts flight tests ahead of inauguration

Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport authorities conducted two flight tests at the newly constructed third terminal, which is slated for partial inauguration by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on 7 October.

As part of the test, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-371) embarked on its journey from the Terminal-3 parking bay for the first time on Wednesday, Biman MD and CEO Shafiul Azim confirmed to The Business Standard on Thursday (5 October).

Earlier on Monday, a Biman flight bound for Kathmandu entered the parking bay through the high-speed taxiway of the third terminal for the very first time. Passengers bound for Kathmandu boarded the Boeing-737 Peacock aircraft via the boarding bridge of the third terminal.

Another Biman flight, operating on the Dhaka-Kathmandu route, also used the Terminal-3 for its operations today.

Group Captain Kamrul Islam, executive director at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, explained, "We conducted experimental operations using the bay and boarding bridge of the third terminal. However, all pre-flight procedures, including immigration, were completed at Terminal-2. Subsequently, the flight with passengers proceeded to take off from the designated runway. The Kathmandu flight also followed the same successful process on Thursday."

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh has referred to the inauguration on 7 October as a 'soft opening', with the terminal anticipated to be in full operation by the end of 2024.