Shahjalal Airport third terminal to open December 16, 20 flights on first day

The third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will begin operations on December 16, with 20 flights scheduled on the first day. However, full operations of the terminal may take until May next year.

Civil Aviation Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat informed journalists about the developments after inspecting the terminal on Tuesday, September 8.

The minister said Bangladesh will receive 27 percent of the revenue generated from the third terminal, while Biman Bangladesh Airlines will handle 50 percent of ground handling operations.

He said the third terminal will be fully operational within the next five to six months. Operations will commence on December 16 with 20 flights.

The project to build the third terminal was initiated in 2017. Construction began on December 28, 2019, with an estimated cost of Tk 21,398 crore. The Bangladesh government provided Tk 5,000 crore, while the remaining funds were sourced from a loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

The third terminal was partially inaugurated on October 7, 2023, when the Civil Aviation Authority stated that full operations would begin by 2024. However, that target was not met.