<div style="text-align: justify; "><span style="font-size: 1rem;">Aviators are counting hours as Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will make soft opening of exciting third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) tomorrow with slogan of "connecting dreams to reality" towards making Bangladesh as an aviation hub.</span><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"We can say the third terminal is the first milestone to realize Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's dream to make Bangladesh as an aviation hub," Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman told BSS today.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will partially open the new scenic terminal witnessing trial of a Biman Bangladesh airlines flight from the new establishment.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The CAAB chairman said the 90 per cent work of the new terminal has been done for the soft launching and from Saturday airlines would be able to use new parking pay of the terminal.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">The third terminal will be fully operational for passengers use at the end of next year after completion of systems integration and calibration.</div><div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"The new terminal will change the country's image with all world class amenities and passenger services," said the CAAB chief.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">He said the third terminal's features with immaculate floor and eye-catching patterns on ceiling with enough natural light are very sophisticated.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">"Passengers will appreciate the world class facilities of the new terminal which we never had here before," CAAB chairman added.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The 12 boarding gates with double entry bridges of the third terminal will be operational by next year while the additional 14 boarding bridges are expected to be installed afterwards.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third terminal project, costing Taka 21,300 crore, commenced on December 28, 2019. The government contributed Taka 5,000 crore, while the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) provided the remaining funding.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">Covering an area of 542,000 square metres, the third terminal will boast a floor space of 230,000 square metres, housing 115 check-in counters, 66 departure immigration desks, 59 arrival immigration and 3 VIP immigration desks.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Upon full-fledged operation of the 3rd terminal, Dhaka Airport's annual passenger and cargo handling capacity is expected to double.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The annual passenger handling capacity of the HSIA would be 24 million (including the old terminals) which is now only eight million and the airport can handle 500,000 tonnes of cargo each year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The construction work of 37 new aircraft parking area and two taxiways connecting to the apron area have already been completed.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third terminal is designed to connect with a multimodal transport system to enable passengers to enter and exit the international airport smoothly.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The new terminal will be connected with the elevated expressway, underground railway (MRT-5, Kamalapur to airport portion) and also with the airport railway station through an underground tunnel.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, hajj pilgrims will be able to access the third terminal from Ashkona hajj camp through an underground tunnel.&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The third terminal is expected to be operated and maintained by a Japanese company under public private partnership.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Ahead of the third terminal's full operation, different foreign airlines are eyeing to start their operation from Dhaka Airport, which is expected to play a great role to take the country's aviation sector forward,&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">experts said. UNB</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>