Construction work of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka will begin on December 28, Air Vice Marshal Mafidur Rahman, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, said today.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will formally lay the foundation stone of the construction work on around 30 lakh square kilometres of land in the area which is scheduled to be completed by 2023, the minister said at a view exchange meeting at the HSIA.

The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) on December 10 approved the revised expansion plan of the airport engaging Tk 21,399.06 crore.

The third terminal will have a floor space of 2,30,000 square metres, 115 check-in counters, 64 departure and 64 arrival immigration desks, according to the plan.

There will also be a new 63,000 square metre import and export cargo complex, a 5,42,000 square metre apron for 37 aircrafts, among others.

Once the project is implemented, the main airport of the country will be able to provide service to 1.20 crore passenger every year, said the CAAB boss.

According to the project design, the third terminal will have 12 boarding bridges and conveyer belt each.

There will be around 20 check-in counters at the third terminal and each counter will have the ability to scan luggage for up to 2,000 luggage every hour.

In addition, there will be parking facilities for around 1,120 cars.

According to sources, the passenger handling capacity of the airport is now eight million a year and the number of passengers is expected to reach 14 million by 2025 and 24.8 million by 2035.

In reply to a query, Mafidur Rahman said they are buying new machines to get rid of birds’ problem over the airport area causing danger for aircraft flying.