The construction work for the third terminal of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is 44.15% complete, says State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali.
“The work for the project is progressing at an unprecedented rate. The terminal can be opened by October 2023,” he said on Monday.
The state minister was speaking to the media after visiting the construction work for the terminal.
“After the completion of the third terminal, the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will be able to serve 22 million passengers,” he added.
He said that passengers will be able to avail international standard services after the terminal is opened.
“We are also ensuring that the passengers are not harassed at airport. Ever since monitoring was beefed up, luggage delivery has become faster,” he added.
Ground handling to be outsourced
Responding to queries on the ground handling at the third terminal, he said: “We are thinking of calling for international tenders for ground handling.”
“Whichever organization will be deemed fit after due procedure, will be given responsibility of the ground handling.”
"The organizations which are doing ground handling in developed countries will be selected. We will not compromise with anyone on the quality of airport services,” he told UNB.
The state minister further said that the quality of the third terminal has not been compromised and never will be.
“Only quality products mentioned in the tender will be used, nothing else. Wasting the people’s and state’s money will not be encouraged,” he said.
Meanwhile, Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal Muhammad Mafidur Rahman told UNB that the organization for ground handling can be local or any foreign company but its standard must be international.
He said the international quality organization does not mean only foreign companies. It can be domestic or foreign. “We will select the organisation according to its quality," he said.
According to CAAB sources, passengers at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) have been facing problems like mishandling of luggage due to various irregularities and mismanagement of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, which has been doing the ground handling itself for many years now.
Taking into consideration the issue of passengers suffering, the ground and cargo handling activities of the new third terminal will be outsourced to an international quality organization.
The chairman said that Biman Bangladesh Airlines has been asked several times to take care of every single luggage. They were even asked to treat luggage as passengers, but they did not listen which is really unfortunate.
"We want to provide international quality service where passengers will not have any complaints," he said. At the same time, it will help to increase the government's income, he added.
