Third Terminal at Shahjalal targets December 16 launch: CAAB Chairman

Work is underway to launch the highly anticipated Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on December 16, in line with the government's timeline, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md. Mostafa Mahmud Siddique announced.

He shared the update as the chief guest during a workshop for journalists titled "Civil Aviation and Air Traffic Operation," held at the CAAB headquarters on Monday.

The CAAB Chairman stated that the agreement to hand over the ground handling responsibilities of the Third Terminal to Japan is expected to be signed late August or early September.

Addressing airport security, he urged the public to refrain from flying drones near the airport area and revealed plans to procure a modern anti-drone system within this year.

Furthermore, he noted that the implementation of an advanced Air Traffic Control (ATC) system will enable Bangladesh to collect approximately 8 percent more annual revenue in flight charges from foreign aircraft using the country's maritime airspace.

The CAAB Chairman emphasized that civil aviation is a specialized sector deeply connected to public interest, making it essential for journalists to enhance their domain-specific knowledge to ensure responsible and accurate reporting. He stated that the workshop was organized with this objective in mind and such initiatives will continue in the future.

During the workshop, CAAB Member (Operations and Planning) Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mehboob Khan highlighted the importance of airport operations, passenger service, security, modern air traffic management, and compliance with the standards set by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

CAAB Member (Administration) Mohammad Lablur Rahman added that to ensure seamless services for Hajj pilgrims, the embarkation fee, passenger security fee, and airport development fee have been waived. He also mentioned that infrastructural improvements, including Zamzam water distribution, separate prayer areas, pure drinking water, washrooms, trolleys, seating arrangements, and other facilities, have been implemented.

Additionally, Member (Air Traffic Management) Air Commodore Md. Nur-E-Alam delivered a technical presentation covering air traffic control, navigation, Instrument Landing Systems (ILS), and emergency response protocols.

Following the conclusion of the workshop, the CAAB Chairman distributed certificates to the participating journalists.