JS body recommends quick construction of HSIA’s third terminal

The relevant parliamentary body on Sunday recommended the government to quickly construct the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry came up with the suggestion at its third meeting held with its chairman RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury in the chair.

The parliamentary watchdog also sought a report from the government on cargo-handling at the airport and starting the flight operation of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on the Dhaka-Manchester, England route, reports UNB.

The construction work on the new terminal is expected to be completed by 2022 at a cost of Tk 136.10 million with financial assistance from Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has a plan to start the construction work on the third terminal this year as it floated tender last year in this regard.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) in October, 2017 approved 'Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka Expansion Project' to expand the international airport located at Kurmitola in the capital.

Of the project cost, JICA will provide Tk 112.14 million as project assistance.

Apart from the new terminal building, a new cargo village, VVIP complex, and rapid exit, connecting taxiways and an oil depot will be built under the project.

The parliamentary committee at the meeting also discussed the flight operation of Biman on new routes, said a Parliament Secretariat handout.

The committee recommended the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry to take necessary preparations to celebrate the Mujib Year (2020-2021).

Committee members Md Aslamul Haque, Kazi Firoz Rashid, Tanveer Imam, Anwar Hossain Khan and Syeda Rubina Akter attended the meeting.