No plans for another airport within 100km of Dhaka: Millat

The government has no plans to construct a new airport within 100 kilometres of Dhaka, a consideration behind Bangladesh’s decision to agree to Japan’s conditions regarding airport development, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat has said.

“I personally believe there is no need to build another airport within 100 kilometres of Dhaka. Besides, Japan has not imposed any condition prohibiting us from constructing an airport. We can build one, but we will not be able to use it,” he said while responding to questions from journalists during an inspection of the airport yesterday.

He said constructing a new airport itself takes around 10 years, suggesting that there was little immediate need for another facility so close to the capital.

Under the proposed concession agreement with a Japanese consortium to operate the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Bangladesh has accepted a 15-year restriction on commercial operations at competing civilian airports within a 100km radius of the airport.

However, the restriction would not prevent the planning or construction of another airport or the development of military facilities.

Asked whether the opening of the third terminal would lead to the closure of Terminals 1 and 2, the minister said the government planned to dedicate the existing terminals to budget airlines, domestic flights, and Hajj and Umrah operations.

“We want to dedicate Terminals 1 and 2 to budget airlines, domestic flights, and Hajj and Umrah flights,” he said.

He added that chartered flights would also operate from the existing terminals.

“The plan has been designed in such a way that these operations can be accommodated within Terminals 1 and 2,” he said.