The agreement between the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and a Japanese consortium to operate the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is expected to be signed by 19 July, according to State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat.
Speaking at a press briefing at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka on Thursday, the minister said authorities were aiming to complete the agreement even before the deadline. “As per the deadline, the agreement will be signed by July 19. We will try to complete the deal even earlier. We hope the third terminal will become operational by December 16 this year,” he said.
He added that the Japanese consortium would be responsible for appointing a second ground handler for the terminal.
The third terminal has remained unused for nearly 18 months despite the completion of construction, largely because of disagreements between CAAB and the Japanese consortium over management arrangements and revenue sharing.
The consortium includes Japan Airport Terminal Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Nippon Koei and Narita International Airport Corporation.
A two-day negotiation meeting between CAAB and the consortium began on Wednesday and concluded on Thursday, focusing on unresolved issues related to the operation and maintenance of the facility. According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, discussions centred on a revised proposal submitted by the Japanese side, including embarkation fees, upfront payments and revenue-sharing mechanisms.
Bangladesh and Japan previously held a bilateral meeting on 3 April to discuss the terminal’s operation and maintenance, although no final agreement was reached at that time.
Industry officials have linked the prolonged delay in launching the terminal to policy indecision under the previous interim administration, which left one of the country's largest aviation infrastructure projects idle after completion.
Following his assumption of office, Prime Minister Tarique Rahman instructed relevant authorities to resume negotiations with the Japanese partners. That directive led to renewed discussions, including a meeting at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on 13 March.
Covering 542,000 square metres, the third terminal is expected to significantly expand the airport’s capacity. Once operational, it will be able to handle an additional 12 million to 16 million passengers each year and process nearly 500,000 tonnes of cargo annually.
