Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s Third Terminal is set for a second “soft opening” or partial inauguration on December 16. Before that, new expenditures including maintenance have been added, increasing the project cost by another Tk847.57 crore. The implementation deadline has also been extended by one year.
According to Planning Commission data, construction is almost complete but the terminal is not fully operational. Actual progress up to June was 99.91 per cent. Due to delay in appointing an operator to run the terminal, it has been decided to bear maintenance costs from the project until an operator is appointed. A new allocation of Tk667.48 crore has been made in this sector.
The third revision of the project was approved at the fourth meeting of the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for the current fiscal year, held at the Secretariat on Tuesday under the chairmanship of Prime Minister and ECNEC Chairman Tarique Rahman.
According to Planning Commission data, when the project was approved in 2016 with a Japanese loan, its cost was Tk13,610 crore. Later, through first and second revisions, the cost rose to Tk21,365.51 crore. In the third revision, another Tk847.57 crore has been added, taking the total cost to Tk22,213.08 crore.
That means the cost of the Third Terminal construction project has increased by about Tk8,603 crore compared to the original approved cost. The project deadline has been extended from June 30, 2026, to June 30, 2027. This takes the implementation period to about 11 years.
According to Planning Commission sources, additional expenditure has been added to various sectors at the final stage of the project. The largest allocation has been made for maintenance. There was no allocation in this sector in the original development project proposal. Due to the delay in appointing an operator, it has been proposed to bear maintenance costs under the project until an operator is appointed.
Also, as per the recommendation of the Amicable Settlement Committee, an allocation of Tk6.6794 crore was needed for maintenance work from January 2023 to June 2025. In the revised project, additional funds were also needed for consultant services, network services, VAT-tax, changes in dollar exchange rate, new works and reallocation of expenditure in various sectors.
At a press conference after Tuesday’s ECNEC meeting, State Minister for Planning Zonayed Abdur Rahim Saki said maintenance costs were added at the final stage of the project due to delay in operator appointment. This money will be spent until an operator is appointed. He said the third revision proposed Tk667.48 crore for maintenance.
Recently, a Japanese company, Sub Working Group (SWG), has submitted technical and financial proposals for operating and maintaining the terminal.
The Planning Secretary said expenditure had also been increased for the airport’s network service.
Meanwhile, on October 7, 2023, the then prime minister Sheikh Hasina did the “soft opening” of the Third Terminal. On that day, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight departed Dhaka using the terminal. After that, nearly three years have passed but the terminal has not been fully operational.
This time, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has announced plans for a second “soft opening” of the terminal on December 16. However, he said more time would be needed to fully launch the terminal.
13 projects worth Tk15,823cr approved at Ecnec
Meanwhile, at Tuesday’s ECNEC meeting, 13 development projects involving a total expenditure of Tk15,823.57 crore were approved. Of the total approved project expenditure, Tk10,118.33 crore will come from government funds (GOB), Tk5,252.96 crore from foreign loans and grants, and Tk382.28 crore from the organisations’ own financing.
Among the approved projects, the Health Services Division’s “Integrated Health System Response to Fight Against TB, HIV/AIDS and Malaria in Bangladesh” project has an estimated cost of Tk4,039 crore.
Also, the deadline of the “Patuakhali Medical College and Hospital Establishment (1st Revised)” project has been extended for the fourth time. After revision, the estimated cost of the project has been increased to more than Tk651 crore.
The Financial Institutions Division’s new “Financial Sector Support Project-II (FSSP-II)” project has an estimated cost of Tk1,276.30 crore.
The Ministry of Social Welfare’s project “Development and Expansion of Existing Physical Disability Training Centres in Chattogram, Khulna and Rajshahi Divisions and Expansion of Hostel Building and Capacity Building for Mentally Disabled Children at Raufabad, Chattogram” has an estimated cost of Tk308.30 crore 2 lakh.
The Ministry of Water Resources’ project “Integrated Flood and River Management and Drainage System Development in Small Feni and Bamni River Basins including Musapur Regulator Construction (Part-1)” will cost Tk751.77 crore.
The same ministry’s project “Protection of Shibpur, Dhania and Medua Areas under Bhola Sadar and Daulatkhan Upazilas from Meghna River Erosion” will cost Tk605.24 crore 3 lakh.
The Local Government Division’s “Widening and Strengthening of Important Upazila and Union Roads in Rangpur Division” project has an estimated cost of Tk4,989.75 crore 82 lakh.
Also, “Madaripur, Shariatpur and Rajbari Districts Rural Infrastructure Development Project (3rd Revised)” was approved.
The Ministry of Home Affairs’ “Increasing Technical and Technological Capacity of RAB (2nd Revised)” project was also approved. Along with this, the Power Division’s “Land Acquisition for Construction of Solar Power Plant in Sonagazi, Feni District” project was approved.
Also approved were “Power Network Expansion in Three Hill Districts” and “Establishment of Digital Land Management System in 3 City Corporations, 1 Municipality and 2 Rural Upazilas through Digital Land Survey Project (2nd Revised)”.
