Staff Correspondent

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat MP on Tuesday  inspected the construction progress of the Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, announcing that a soft opening is currently targeted for December 16.

The Minister arrived at the airport at 10:00 AM accompanied by State Minister for Foreign Affairs Humayun Kabir, State Minister for Finance and Planning Zonaed Abdur Rahim Saki MP, and Invest Bangladesh Chairman Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun.

During the visit, Minister Millat reviewed physical progress and issued operational directives to representatives of the Japanese consortium and senior officials from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB).

Speaking to journalists during a press briefing following the inspection, Minister Millat noted that while a soft launch is being planned for December 16, full operational readiness will require additional time. He criticized the previous administration for holding a ceremonial opening of the physical structure without installing necessary operational machinery or establishing a concrete roadmap for airport functionality.

Addressing baggage handling efficiency, the Minister announced that a second ground handling operator will be appointed alongside Biman Bangladesh Airlines to service the new terminal, with performance strictly monitored through designated Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). He noted that the delivery time for the first piece of luggage has been reduced to 18 minutes, with further efforts ongoing to shorten wait times and expand aircraft landing capacities.

On the financial agreement, Minister Millat highlighted a major renegotiation achieved by the current government regarding revenue distribution. Under original terms, Bangladesh was slated to receive only 15 percent of terminal revenues, with 85 percent allocated to the Japanese operating consortium. Following fresh negotiations, Bangladesh’s revenue share has been successfully increased to 27 percent.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director Kaizar Sohel Ahmed, alongside senior ministry and CAAB officials, was present during the inspection.