Govt seeks Tk902cr to complete HSIA third terminal, plans further airfare cuts

The government has sought Tk902 crore to complete unfinished work on the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat told parliament on Sunday, as ministers also outlined plans for further airfare cuts, a national tourism policy and tighter e-commerce rules.
Millat was responding to questions during the sitting, presided over by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmed.
Replying to NCP MP Abdul Hannan Masud of Noakhali-6, Millat said the previous government had presented the terminal as complete, though machinery integration and related Airport Development and Construction work remained outstanding. 
The additional funds would cover unpaid bills and finish the work, he said, adding that the terminal, once operational, is expected to double the airport’s passenger capacity. 
The government has already repaid Tk1,100 crore in loan instalments since taking office, he said.
On airfares, Millat told BNP MP Helen Zerin Khan that further reductions are under consideration as Biman Bangladesh Airlines expands its network and revenue. 
He said Biman’s Hajj fare, once around Tk2 lakh, was cut to about Tk1.65 lakh under the interim government; this year’s fare was calculated at Tk154,000 before dynamic pricing brought it down to Tk130,000.
Responding to Jamaat MP Md Mujibur Rahman of Rajshahi-1 on inflated domestic fares, Millat said the actual Dhaka-Chattogram fare is around Tk6,400, with passengers also paying roughly 15 percent in taxes and charges. 
He said the government has taken steps against ticket manipulation and black-market sales, and has declared “zero tolerance” for ticket syndicates. Amendments to the Travel Agency Act and Civil Aviation Act are under way to protect passengers, particularly migrant workers, and keep fares affordable, he said.
Millat said the government is finalising an updated Integrated Tourism Master Plan that has identified 1,498 potential tourist destinations nationwide, alongside a “Beautiful Bangladesh” web portal being developed on a fast-track basis. 
Drafting of the National Tourism Policy, 2026 has begun, he said, including plans for a Tourism Satellite Account to address data gaps and a phased community-based tourism model.
He added that the government intends to strengthen the Tourist Police’s manpower and structure, and will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to promote cultural tourism, followed by a joint task force and standard operating procedures.
Separately, Land Minister Md Mizanur Rahman Minu told parliament the government has set a target of Tk1,208 crore in land development tax collection for FY27, in reply to a question from ruling party MP Abul Khayer Bhuiyan of Lakshmipur-2. 
He said field-level monitoring is under way and that collection targets are reviewed monthly at divisional, district and upazila revenue conferences. The Land Reform Board has instructed divisional commissioners to direct deputy commissioners to accelerate collection this fiscal year.
On e-commerce, Commerce Minister Khandakar Abdul Muktadir said in a written reply to Sherpur-1 MP Md Rashedul Islam Rashed that the government has adopted a three-pronged policy to curb fraud, including the National Digital Commerce Policy, Digital Commerce Operation Guidelines, and Digital Business Identity (DBID) Registration Guidelines.