- Terminal will be able to handle 16 million passengers annually
- Construction started in April 2020, soft launch in October 2023
A view of the much-awaited third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport
Dhaka’s Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is on the brink of a major transformation as its highly anticipated third terminal is expected to be completed by mid-2025, around June or July.
Nearly all work on this mega project has already been completed, with some tasks still pending.
Airport officials said that 98% of the terminal’s construction was finished, with only some exterior infrastructural development remaining, which was progressing rapidly.
However, several operational activities, including equipment installation, calibration and testing, had yet to be completed, they added.
These are expected to be fully ready by the middle of next year, which would make the terminal fully operational by December.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan told this correspondent most of the work was nearing completion, adding that he expected the terminal to be operational by June or July next year.
He said discussions with the Japan International Cooperation Agency about ground handling were ongoing and that final decisions had not yet been made.
Staffing, training and rehearsal tasks remained, he said, reiterating that preparations would be complete by mid-next year.
A recent visit to the third terminal area revealed that although the building’s structural work is finished, various equipment installations, calibrations and testing are still pending.
Additionally, the infrastructural work on the eastern side of the terminal is ongoing.
Most importantly, an agreement with Jica is awaited for the operation of the terminal. Once it is finalized, approximately 6,000 personnel will be needed to operate the terminal round the clock in four shifts, including around 4,000 staffers solely for security, and training such a large number of people will also take some time.
Officials said they were working tirelessly to ensure everything was in place for the terminal’s full operation.
The third terminal project is estimated to cost Tk21,398 crore, with the Bangladesh government contributing Tk5,257 crore.
Aviation Dhaka Consortium, comprising three companies – Japan’s Mitsubishi Corporation and Fujita Corporation and Korea’s Samsung C&T Corporation – was tasked with implementing the project, with CAAB signing a contract with the consortium on January 14, 2020.
Following the contract, the construction work began on April 6 of that year with a project duration of 48 months. The contract value was set at Tk20,598.64 crore.
The soft launch of the third terminal took place on October 7 last year.
Facilities
It is known that the terminal has three floors, covering an area of 230,000 square metres.
Once fully operational, its annual passenger handling capacity will be 16 million.
The terminal’s parking area will be able to accommodate 1,230 cars, and there will be 37 aircraft parking bays.
For arriving passengers, there will be 16 luggage belts, and the customs hall for international arrivals will cover an area of 1,300 square metres with six channels. There will be 115 check-in counters, 15 of which will be automated, and 128 immigration counters, including 15 automated ones. Of the 128, 66 will be for departures and 59 for arrivals, with three VVIP counters.
In the first phase, the terminal will have 12 boarding bridges. Later, under another expansion project, an additional 14 boarding bridges will be added.
The third terminal will not be connected to the two existing terminals, but a corridor will be built in a future project to link them.
The new terminal will also feature a large lounge for transit passengers, capable of serving 4 million passengers annually.
A VIP service area covering 3,650 square metres will also be available.
There will also be an underground rail link from the Hajj camp to Uttara for seamless access.
Additionally, the terminal will offer airline lounges, day rooms, a movie lounge, a play zone for children and a food court to enhance passenger comfort.