The third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is scheduled to start partial operations on December 16, initially handling two arriving and two departing flights, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat announced on Saturday.
Speaking at a preparatory meeting on the terminal’s inauguration at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) conference room, the minister said: “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 added that further steps would follow to bring the terminal to full operational capacity under a phased plan.
The meeting reviewed key preparations, including the activation of required immigration booths, installation of baggage belts and scanners, trial operations, and the signing of necessary agreements. Stakeholders discussed outstanding tasks and the actions needed to open the terminal on schedule.
Millat described making the third terminal operational as an important commitment of the present government. He urged all concerned agencies to complete their assigned work within the stipulated timeframe and stressed that the Prime Minister’s directive to ensure Terminal 3 begins operations on schedule must be treated as the highest priority.
He also acknowledged the sustained efforts of those involved in the project, noting that their work had brought the terminal to the point of commencing operations. The minister called on agencies to prioritise the decisions taken at the meeting and expressed hope that coordinated efforts among stakeholders would help meet the December 16 target.
The meeting was attended by 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. Also present were 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.