Dhaka airport third terminal: Bangladesh, Japan advance negotiations at fresh high-level talks
Bangladesh and Japan on Friday held a high-level meeting to advance negotiations on the operation and maintenance of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, signaling renewed momentum toward finalising a long-delayed deal.
The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, was attended by Foreign Minister Dr Khalilur Rahman, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam, Prime Minister’s Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir and State Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat, among others.
The Japanese delegation was led by Assistant Vice Minister of Japan’s Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Nakayama Rieko.
Correspondingly, senior officials including Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Investment Development Authority Chowdhury Ashik Mahmud Bin Harun and Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq also joined the discussions.
The meeting marked the first formal negotiation under the BNP-led government in an effort to turn the long-delayed terminal operational on a win-win basis.
Meanwhile, the terminal has remained non-operational for years due to unresolved management and operational arrangements.
At that meeting, the two sides discussed a proposal presented by the Japanese delegation regarding the terminal’s operation and maintenance.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita has said the government prefers to assign operational responsibility of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) 3rd terminal to the Japanese consortium through negotiations while safeguarding national interests.
“We are currently working on the revenue-related aspects. That is what the discussions are focused on. Once we reach a mutual understanding on that, we will be able to arrive at a decision. So, we will sit down for discussions again,” she told reporters after emerging from the second round of talks with the Japanese side yesterday.
“We are repeatedly sitting at the table to safeguard national interests. We want to make the terminal operational as soon as possible.”
Bangladesh and Japan held the second round of high-level meeting to advance negotiations on the operation and maintenance of the third terminal, signalling renewed momentum toward finalising the long-delayed deal.
