Prime Minister orders accelerated opening of HSIA’s third terminal

Tarique Rahman today instructed the relevant authorities to fast-track the opening of the long-awaited Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in a bid to boost passenger capacity and improve operational efficiency.

The directive was issued during a meeting at the Cabinet Conference Room of the Secretariat, chaired by the Prime Minister, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam told reporters afterward.

Among those present were Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, and Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Air Vice Marshal Md. Mostafa Mahmud Siddique.

The civil aviation minister said the Prime Minister had asked officials to take all necessary steps to make the Third Terminal operational as soon as possible.

“He is keen to see the terminal opened at the earliest and has issued clear instructions to that end,” she said.

When asked about a possible inauguration date, Afroza Khanam said no specific timeline could be provided yet.

“There will be further discussions and technical evaluations to assess how the process can be accelerated. Work is ongoing, but we cannot announce a definite date at this moment,” she added.

Responding to a question about why the terminal has not been opened despite more than 99 percent of the construction being completed, the minister said the delay occurred during the interim government’s tenure.

“You could have directed that question to them,” she remarked, adding that the current government is now working to resolve pending issues and make the facility functional.

The Third Terminal was built to substantially expand HSIA’s annual passenger and cargo handling capacity and position Dhaka as a regional aviation hub. However, despite near completion of physical construction under the previous administration, it has yet to be opened.