Dhaka airport’s third terminal to open partially in October

The government has decided to partially open the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka in the first week of October and the terminal will be fully functional by 2024.

Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Mafidur Rahman, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority Bangladesh (CAAB), said this during a press conference on Tuesday afternoon at the under-construction terminal, reports UNB.

He said around 77.5 per cent of the construction work of the third terminal has been completed and 90 per cent of the work would be completed before October.

“To ensure timely progress, construction work is being carried out day and night -- even during the ongoing Eid holidays. We hope to hold the soft opening (partial opening) in the first week of October, as per the government decision,” he added.

The Dhaka airport expansion project was approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on October 24, 2017, with financing from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The initially-estimated cost for the project was Tk 136.10 billion. Later, the cost was increased by an additional Tk 77.89 billion.

Once completed, the new terminal, spanning an area of 5,42,000 square metres, will feature a parking apron capable of accommodating 37 aircraft.

However, the main highlight will be the modern terminal building, integrating state-of-the-art technologies within its 2,30,000 square metres of interior space.