It may take the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) another six months to take control of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport from the contractor since around 5% of the construction work is still pending.
A top official of the aviation apex body told Dhaka Tribune on Saturday that a final decision would be made following the Eid-ul-Fitr vacation. The remaining work may take five to six months.
Asked about the matter, CAAB Chairman Mafidur Rahman said around 5% of the project remains unfinished, which includes installations, calibrations, and pre-testing of machinery.
Earlier, it was announced that CAAB would take control of the third terminal on Saturday, as 100% of construction work was completed.
However, key pieces of infrastructure, including a distributed antenna system (DAS) and an integrated security system, are yet to be completed.
The DAS system, which ensures that the coverage of mobile networks can be extended inside solid constructions, was missing in the original project profile. The omission came to light before the soft opening of the third terminal in October of last year.
Additionally, the terminal lacks an integrated security system, raising concerns about potential security vulnerabilities. Past incidents, such as an underage child boarding an aircraft without proper security checks, underscore the urgency of addressing these deficiencies.
In conversation with Dhaka Tribune, officials from the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and CAAB questioned how such critical aspects were overlooked in the project planning phase.
A recent investigation by Dhaka Tribune revealed that CAAB has undertaken modifications to the terminal's interior design due to the inability to install the DAS system as per the original specifications. This deviation is expected to incur additional costs.
Despite initial denials of responsibility from CAAB, efforts have been made to rectify the situation. Asiatic 360, a service company, has been commissioned to provide partial mobile network coverage within the terminal, albeit as a temporary measure.
CAAB has reportedly also approached the Association of Mobile Telecom Operators of Bangladesh (AMTOB) regarding installing the DAS system.
