Dhaka airport: PM opens iconic third terminal
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina opened the iconic third terminal partially this noon with the slogan "connecting dreams to reality".
Before the inauguration, the prime minister walked around the terminal and observed the facilities. She also talked to the airport staffers.
Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan Masahiro Komura, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Mokammel Hossain and Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman spoke at the event. Minister of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism of Japan Saito Tetsuo was present, according to BSS report.
The prime minister later went round the third terminal and visited its different sections as she was briefed about the facilities.
She also took part in a dress rehearsal of passing through the immigration while checking in her luggage and she was, as well, given boarding pass later.
A video documentary on the third terminal was screened at the function. Another video documentary on the activities of the Civil Aviation Authority was also screened.
Earlier, on her arrival at the third terminal premises, the premier was received by the state minister of the civil aviation and tourism.
A group of children welcomed the premier through a musical performance.
The four-year construction work of the magnificent third terminal of Dhaka airport was wrapped up yesterday.
From today, 10 to 12 planes will be able to park at the new apron, and travellers will be able to use the third terminal by the end of next year, said Abdul Malek, chief engineer at CAAB.
Around 6,000 employees and officials will be needed to run the third terminal.
"Around 10 percent of the work remains to be done. Integration, calibration, and testing of the equipment will start after the soft launch to make the third terminal building fully operational," Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh told The Daily Star.
The third terminal project, costing Tk 21,300 crore, commenced on December 28, 2019. The government contributed Taka 5,000 crore, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided the remaining funding, according to BSS report.
Covering an area of 542,000 square metres, the third terminal will boast a floor space of 230,000 square metres, housing 115 check-in counters, 66 departure immigration desks, 59 arrival immigration and 3 VIP immigration desks.
Upon full-fledged operation of the 3rd terminal, Dhaka Airport's annual passenger and cargo handling capacity is expected to double.
The annual passenger handling capacity of the HSIA would be 24 million (including the old terminals) which is now only eight million and the airport can handle 500,000 tonnes of cargo each year.
The construction work of 37 new aircraft parking area and two taxiways connecting to the apron area have already been completed.
The third terminal is designed to connect with a multimodal transport system to enable passengers to enter and exit the international airport smoothly.
The new terminal will be connected with the elevated expressway, underground railway (MRT-5, Kamalapur to airport portion) and also with the airport railway station through an underground tunnel.
Besides, hajj pilgrims will be able to access the third terminal from Ashkona hajj camp through an underground tunnel.
The third terminal is expected to be operated and maintained by a Japanese company under public private partnership.
Ahead of the third terminal's full operation, different foreign airlines are eyeing to start their operation from Dhaka Airport, which is expected to play a great role to take the country's aviation sector forward, experts said.