Prime Minister Tarique Rahman today directed authorities concerned to expedite steps for opening the long-awaited Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), aiming to enhance passenger handling capacity and operational efficiency.

The directive came at a meeting held at the Cabinet Conference Room of the Secretariat with the Prime Minister in the chair, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza  Khanam told reporters  afterwards.

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, among others, attended the meeting.

The civil aviation minister said the Prime Minister has instructed the authorities to take necessary measures so that the Third Terminal can be made operational at the earliest.

“He is trying to ensure that the terminal is opened soon and has given clear directives in this regard,” she said.

Replying to a question about the possible date of inauguration, Afroza said no specific timeframe could be announced at this stage. 

“There will be further discussions and technical assessments to determine how the process can be expedited. Work is underway, but we cannot give a definite date right now,” she added.

Responding to another query as to why the terminal could not be opened despite more than 99 percent of the work having been completed, the minister said the delay occurred during the tenure of the interim government.

“You could have asked them the question,” she remarked, adding that the present government is now taking steps to resolve the outstanding issues and make the facility operational.

The Third Terminal constructed to significantly expand HSIA’s annual passenger and cargo handling capacity and to transform Dhaka into a regional aviation hub, had remained unopened despite near completion of physical works during the previous administration.