Arriving at the airport on Saturday morning (October 7) ahead of the inauguration ceremony, the Prime Minister toured the third terminal of the airport like a normal passenger.
A group of child artists gave the Prime Minister a warm welcome as he entered the third terminal of the Shahjalal Airport. Later he went to the airport check in counter. A sample boarding pass was given to the Prime Minister there. He then visited the immigration counter, security gate, moving walkway (straight escalator) of the airport.
Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md. Mahbub Ali, Chairman, Civil Aviation Authority (BABICHAK) Air Vice Masal M. Mofidur Rahman and senior officials of the ministry.
The third terminal project at a cost of Tk 21,300 crore started on December 28, 2019. The government contributed Rs 5,000 crore and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) financed the balance.
The third terminal covers an area of 5 lakh 42 thousand square meters. It has a floor space of 230,000 square meters, 115 check-in counters, 66 departure immigration desks, 59 arrival immigration and 3 VIP immigration desks.
Dhaka Airport is expected to double its annual passenger and cargo handling capacity after the third terminal becomes fully operational. It will have an annual passenger handling capacity of 24 million (including the old terminal) compared to 8 million now. The airport can handle 5 lakh tonnes of cargo per year.
Construction of 37 new aircraft parking areas and two taxiways connecting the apron area has already been completed.
The third terminal is designed to connect with a multimodal transport system so that passengers can enter and exit the international airport.
The new terminal will be connected to the airport railway station via an elevated expressway, underground railway (MRT-5, Kamalapur to Airport section) and an underground tunnel. Pilgrims can also go to the third terminal through the underground tunnel from Ashkona Haj Camp.
