The construction work of long-cherished ‘Third Terminal’ of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) is set to begin in the city today (Saturday). Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will inaugurate the construction work of the ‘Third Terminal’. The construction work at a cost of Taka 21,300 crore will be completed within four years.
After the completion of construction work, this terminal will be capable of handling more than 12 million additional passengers annually.
“When the construction work of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s ‘Third Terminal’ will be done, this airport will be the best one in this region,” Md. Mahbub Ali, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, told a press conference at HSIA’s conference centre on Friday.
He added after the completion of the works the airport will have a world-class look. The ‘Third Terminal’ will have an ultramodern look with all modern amenities, he added.
“This ultra-modern terminal will provide world class services to both domestic and foreign passengers. Like Biman’s slogan ‘Peace Above In The Sky’, our new terminal will be a place of peace,” Md. Mahbub Ali said. Sheikh Hasina will lay the foundation stone of the work at 10.30 am on Saturday and all preparations have already been completed to hold the groundbreaking ceremony.
Mahbub said, “With everyone’s support and cooperation, we are able to increase the quality of passenger services both in Biman and airport. Thanks to our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, as today we are here, only for her visionary direction”. The ministry secretary Md. Mohibul Haque said, “In reality we have remained unable to develop the sector till date, overcoming all the obstacles, and we can say that within the next 48 months we will give you a better modern airport that will change the scenario of the airport services in the country”.
He said, “Once the construction is completed the airport will be able to serve 20 million passengers yearly”. About the ground handling the secretary said, in the new terminal, ground handling would be conducted through other agencies. They will provide the jobs through open tender.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman said, “We have completed all the preparations. Now our Prime Minister will inaugurate the construction work on Saturday and the work will be completed within 2023”. Of the total project cost of Taka 21,300 crore, the government will provide Taka 5,000 crore and the rest will be funded by Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
The project with an estimated cost of Tk 13,610.47 crore got the nod of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on October 24, 2017. However, the cost of the project raised subsequently due to expansion of some of the project works, including setting up of a separate cargo house, sources said.
The cost increased as the civil aviation ministry amplified volume of work that includes separation of export and import cargo houses and construction of new VVIP terminal. Additional work as well as the extra cost were planed and calculated as per consultation of JICA’s fact finding mission along with CAAB’s Japan based consultant firm– the Nippon Koi.
The project’s additional fund was approved by the ECNEC on December 10 last. Mitsubishi and Fujita of Japan and Samsung of Korea were awarded to construct the 3rd terminal under a consortium, Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) official sources said. The new international passenger terminal building is set to have a floor area of roughly 22.5 lakh square feet whereas the exiting two terminals of HSIA will have space of around 10 lakh square feet together.
The HSIA’s expansion is set to increase the airport’s annual passenger handling capacity from the current eight million to approximately 20 million, and the cargo capacity from 200,000 tonnes to 500,000 tonnes. State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali will preside over the inaugural ceremony while Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Chairman RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Naoki Ito and JICA Chief representative Hitoshi Hirata will remain present.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is also scheduled to inaugurate Biman’s two new dreamliners aircraft Boeing 787-9 and a new mobile apps of the national flag carrier on the sidelines of the ceremony. During the press conference, HSIA director Towhid Ul Ahsan, among others, were also present.
