Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat informed Parliament on Sunday that 902 crore taka is required to fully operationalise the newly constructed Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. The minister revealed the figure during a supplementary question-and-answer session chaired by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
Replying to a query posed by NCP Member of Parliament Hannan Masud, Minister Millat criticized the previous administration for holding a premature inauguration of the terminal facility. He explained that the former government opened the structural shell without completing essential internal systems and core infrastructure works. Leaving a $2.1 billion state asset idle poses significant financial risks to the national exchequer, he noted, stressing that bringing the terminal into service promptly is crucial to generating revenue and servicing international loans.
The minister detailed that the 902 crore taka allocation will settle outstanding dues and clear pending payments owed to the Aviation Dhaka Consortium (ADC), the primary contractor group handling the project. The Ministry of Finance has already arranged the necessary funding allocation to expedite completion. Once operational, the Third Terminal will double the passenger handling capacity of Bangladesh’s primary international gateway, generating the revenue required to repay loans provided by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).
Addressing a question from reserved seat MP Sultana Ahmed regarding operational progress, Minister Millat affirmed that the government is actively carrying out the required preparations. Approximately 57 per cent of the Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) process has been completed so far, with focused efforts ongoing to finish the remaining requirements within the established timeframe.
During the same session, answering a query from BNP MP S M Jahangir Hossain, the aviation minister addressed aircraft procurement decisions made under the prior administration. He confirmed that agreements were previously signed to purchase nine new aircraft for Biman Bangladesh Airlines. The ministry plans to initiate a comprehensive review into these deals to verify whether any irregularities occurred during the procurement negotiations.
