Japan Urged to Back Timely Launch of HSIA's Third Terminal

The government has sought Japan’s continued support to ensure the timely opening of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), which is set to be inaugurated on 16 December this year.

The request came during a courtesy meeting between Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam, State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat and Special Adviser to the Japanese Prime Minister Uno Yoshimasa at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday.

The meeting focused on the longstanding friendship between Bangladesh and Japan, bilateral cooperation and Japan’s significant role in Bangladesh’s infrastructure development.

Minister Afroza Khanam said the government was working in line with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman’s directive to inaugurate the airport’s third terminal on 16 December. She expressed confidence that all necessary preparations would be completed on schedule to ensure its timely opening.

State Minister Millat stressed the need to launch the Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) programme without delay to meet the planned inauguration timeline. He urged the Japanese Stakeholder Working Group (SWG) to complete the tender submission process next month so that ORAT activities could begin promptly.

Calling Japan one of Bangladesh’s oldest and most dependable development partners, Millat noted that Japanese companies had played a crucial role in constructing the third terminal. He sought Japan’s continued cooperation to ensure the facility is opened to the public as scheduled.

Uno Yoshimasa reaffirmed Japan’s commitment to further strengthening bilateral ties and pledged continued support for ongoing projects, including the HSIA third-terminal initiative.

At the end of the meeting, the minister and state minister presented Yoshimasa with a model of a Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner to commemorate the resumption of the airline’s direct Dhaka-Narita flights.