Bangladesh, Japan discuss the 16 Dec opening of HSIA 3rd terminal

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam on Tuesday sought Japan’s continued support for the inauguration of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) on December 16, saying the government is working relentlessly to meet the target in line with the Prime Minister’s directive.

“Japan is one of Bangladesh’s oldest and most trusted development partners. Japanese companies have also made significant contributions to the construction of the third terminal here,” she said.

The minister made the remarks during a courtesy call by the special adviser to the Japanese prime minister, UNO Yoshimasa, at the conference room of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism at the Bangladesh Secretariat this morning.

According to an Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) press release, she said that the government would complete all necessary preparations in time for the inauguration and make the terminal operational for passengers within the stipulated timeframe with Japan’s continued support.

During the meeting, the two sides discussed the longstanding friendship between Bangladesh and Japan, bilateral cooperation, and Japan’s significant contributions to Bangladesh’s infrastructure development, the release said.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said, "The Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) programme must be launched without delay as part of preparations for commissioning the third terminal ahead of its planned inauguration on 16 December.”

“To this end, the Japanese Stakeholder Working Group (SWG) needs to complete the submission of its tender next month,” he added.

The Japanese Prime Minister’s Special Adviser, UNO Yoshimasa, expressed hope that Bangladesh-Japan cooperation would continue to strengthen in the years ahead, reaffirming Japan’s continued support for the HSIA Third Terminal project and other bilateral initiatives.

Following the meeting, Minister Afroza Khanam and State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat presented UNO Yoshimasa with a scale model of a Biman Bangladesh Airlines Boeing 787 Dreamliner to mark the resumption of the national flag carrier’s Dhaka-Narita flight services.