Govt seeks BDT 902cr more to operationalize HSIA’s T3

Dhaka: The government will require an additional BDT 902 crore to complete the remaining work and make the Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport operational, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat told Parliament on August 30.

The minister said the additional allocation would cover unfinished works, outstanding payments to the contractor and dues to other agencies involved in the project.

The terminal, estimated to be worth around USD 2.1 billion, is nearly complete, with about 99.91 percent of construction work finished. However, key machinery, systems and installations needed to begin operations are yet to be completed.

Millat attributed the situation to poor project management under the previous Awami League government, saying there had been a tendency to treat projects as complete after inaugurating their main structures.

He said the government could not put the terminal into use even as repayment of a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had already begun. Without operational revenue from the facility, servicing the debt has become an additional burden.

The Civil Aviation Ministry has sought the extra funding from the Planning and Finance ministries. Millat said the allocation was necessary to prevent the newly built facility from remaining unused and causing further financial losses.

Once operational, the terminal is expected to significantly increase the airport’s passenger-handling capacity, which currently stands at around 1.2 million passengers. The minister said the new facility would enable the airport to handle roughly twice its existing capacity.

ORAT work more than half complete

Separately, Millat said 57 percent of the Operational Readiness and Airport Transfer (ORAT) activities required before opening the terminal had been completed.

The government and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) are continuing the remaining activities with the aim of completing them within the scheduled timeframe.

The minister also said CAAB received 1,048 complaints concerning baggage and ground-handling services at the airport during fiscal 2025-26. Of these, 1,040, or 99.23 percent, had been resolved.

Bangladesh Biman received 2,160 complaints during the period and resolved 2,040, representing a settlement rate of about 94 percent.

Minister rejects BDT 12,000 domestic fare claim

Responding to another question, Millat rejected allegations that regular one-way domestic airfares had reached BDT 12,000.

He said the basic fare remains within the prescribed range, while taxes and other charges can push the final amount higher. According to him, a typical ticket costs around BDT 6,300 to BDT 6,400 after applicable charges.

The minister, however, acknowledged that some groups create artificial ticket shortages and attempt to sell seats at inflated prices close to departure. The government is taking measures to curb such practices, he said.

Meanwhile, seven of Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation’s 54 commercial establishments continue to operate at a loss. The corporation has set a revenue target of BDT 216.57 crore for fiscal 2026-27.