T3 deal with Japanese consortium likely by Sept

An agreement with a Japanese consortium to operate the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is likely to be signed by the end of August or the first week of September, a senior Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) official said on Monday.

Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mehboob Khan, CAAB member (Operations and Planning), disclosed the timeline while speaking to reporters at the authority’s headquarters.

“Under the agreement, the Japanese consortium will operate the third terminal only. They will have no opportunity to operate the first and second terminals,” he said.

The CAAB official said the authority was targeting 16 December for the inauguration of the new terminal, subject to the completion of all remaining formalities.

Construction work on the terminal is nearing completion, and the facility is expected to be inaugurated in December if the remaining work progresses as planned.

The agreement with the Japanese consortium will be signed before the inauguration, Mehboob Khan said, adding that the final decision on the opening would be taken after the agreement is concluded.

The proposed arrangement is expected to bring specialised international expertise into the operation of Bangladesh’s largest airport’s newest passenger facility, while the first and second terminals will remain outside the scope of the agreement.

The CAAB official also said the authority was strengthening enforcement against unauthorised drone operations around the airport because of security concerns.

He urged drone operators to familiarise themselves with the relevant rules and regulations before operating drones in or around the airport area.

CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Mostafa Mahmud Siddique was present during the briefing.