Third terminal operation deal with Japanese consortium by 19 July

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is expected to sign an agreement with a Japanese consortium by 19 July for the operation of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat made the announcement on Thursday at a press briefing at the Bangladesh Secretariat, following a two-day negotiation meeting between CAAB and the consortium that began on Wednesday.

The consortium comprises Japan Airport Terminal Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Nippon Koei and Narita International Airport Corporation.

He said, “As per the deadline, the agreement will be signed by 19 July. We will try to complete the deal even earlier. We hope the third terminal will become operational by 16 December this year,” he told reporters.

The Japanese consortium will also appoint the second ground handler for the terminal, he added.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, discussions focused on a revised proposal submitted by the Japanese side, with key issues including embarkation fees, upfront payments and revenue-sharing arrangements.

The third terminal has remained non-operational for nearly a year and a half due to disagreements over management and revenue-sharing terms between CAAB and the Japanese consortium.

Spanning 5.42 lakh square metres, the terminal is designed to handle an additional 1.2 to 1.6 crore passengers annually and nearly five lakh tonnes of cargo, significantly boosting airport capacity.

Dismissal of baggage theft allegations

The state minister also dismissed allegations of baggage theft involving Hajj returnees as baseless, saying investigations found no evidence of mishandling at Dhaka airport.

He said airport authorities reviewed body-camera footage and submitted an investigation report within hours of receiving the complaint.

According to the report, passengers had verbally informed ground staff that 21 bags out of 836 pieces of luggage on the flight were found torn or cut.
However, CCTV footage from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport showed no evidence of mishandling or theft, he added.

He further noted that international aviation regulations prohibit carrying Zamzam water and improperly sealed cosmetic products in checked baggage.
He said such items may be opened or removed during screening in line with security procedures.

Undeclared cash and wallets are also not permitted in checked baggage under international regulations, he added.

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is expected to sign an agreement with a Japanese consortium by 19 July for the operation of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat said this on Thursday at a press briefing at Bangladesh Secretariat after a two-day negotiation meeting between CAAB and the consortium started on Wednesday.

The consortium includes Japan Airport Terminal Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Nippon Koei and Narita International Airport Corporation.

The state minister said, “As per the deadline, the agreement will be signed by 19 July. We will try to complete the deal even earlier. We hope the third terminal will become operational by 16 December this year,” he told reporters.

The state minister said the Japanese consortium would also appoint the second ground handler for the terminal.

According to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, discussions focused on a revised proposal submitted by the Japanese side, with key issues including embarkation fees, upfront payments and revenue-sharing arrangements.

The third terminal has remained non-operational for nearly one and a half years due to disagreements over management and revenue-sharing arrangements between CAAB and the Japanese consortium.

The third terminal, spanning 5.42 lakh square metres, is designed to handle an additional 1.2 to 1.6 crore passengers annually and nearly five lakh tonnes of cargo, significantly boosting the airport’s capacity.

Dismisses allegations of baggage theft 

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat dismissed the allegations of baggage theft involving Hajj returnees as baseless saying investigations found no evidence of mishandling at Dhaka airport.

“The allegation of baggage theft on social media is found baseless,” he said. 

Millat said airport authorities reviewed body-camera footage and submitted an investigation report within hours of receiving the complaint.

According to the investigation, passengers verbally informed ground staff that 21 bags out of 836 pieces of luggage carried on the concerned flight were found torn or cut.

However, examination of CCTV footage at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport found no evidence of mishandling or theft, he added.

The state minister said international aviation regulations strictly prohibit carrying Zamzam water and improperly sealed cosmetic products in checked baggage. 

If such items are detected during screening, airport authorities are authorised to open or cut luggage and confiscate the prohibited items in accordance with international rules.

He also noted that undeclared cash and wallets are not permitted in checked baggage under international regulations.