Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) third terminal will be inaugurated next year as the progress of work has not been hampered even during the pandemic.
Aviation and Tourism State Minister Mahbub Ali made the remarks while talking to reporters after visiting Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Monday.
He said, “Our construction progress is satisfactory and ahead of our schedule. We are optimistic that we will be able to open the terminal next year.”
While replying to the air fare hike, the state minister said that talks are underway with the airlines to bring the fares of expatriate workers to a tolerable level.
When asked what steps have been taken to stop harassment of passengers at the airport, the state minister said it was time consuming and impossible to question all the 21,000 passengers who travel to the airport every day. Customs and other agencies have been approached to question specific passengers or 1 percent to 2 percent of suspected passengers.
Chairman of the board of directors of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Sajjadul Hasan said it was forbidden to take trolleys out of the airport to control trolley loss.
Asked by reporters why passengers in wheelchairs could not cross the gate directly, the airline chairman replied, “We will try to resolve the problem.”
Regarding resuming flight operations after 12 midnight, the Biman Chairman said that the night flight will be operated at this time of summer. The airlines have already been given permission.
Officials of the Ministry of Aviation and Tourism including Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry secretary Mokammel Hossain and officials of different levels of Biman Bangladesh Airlines were present on the occasion.
According to the project details, the third terminal will increase the airport’s annual passenger handling capacity from the current eight million to approximately 20 million, and the cargo capacity from 200,000 to 500,000 tonnes. The 542,000-square-meter project has the capacity to hold 37 aircraft aprons and 1,230 vehicles, a 63,000-square-foot import-export cargo complex, and 115 check-in counters. All in all, the third terminal will have all the facilities of the world's top airports.
Besides, there will be 27 baggage scanning machines, 11 body scanners, 12 boarding bridges and 16 luggage belts, rescue and Fire Fighting Station and Equipment 4,000 sqm, Land Development, Connecting Taxiway (North) 24,000 sqm, Connecting Taxiway (Other) 42,500 sqm, Rapid Exit Taxiway (North) 22,000 sqm, Rapid Exit (South) 19,500 sqm, solder 96,500 sqm, GSE road 83,800 sqm, service road 33,000 sqm, drainage works (box culvert and protective works), boundary wall, security gate, guard room, watch room and watch tower.
