Bangladesh and a Japanese consortium have officially resumed high-level negotiations to operationalize the nearly completed Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

The meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, marks a significant diplomatic push by the newly formed government to resolve long-standing contractual and operational deadlocks through a "win-win" agreement.

Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanom (Rita) expressed optimism following the discussions, stating, "We had a good meeting. We are trying to make the third terminal operational as soon as possible as per the instruction of honourable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman. We hope we will reach a win-win deal with Japan to open the new terminal."

The negotiations focused on correcting shortcomings in previous agreements, particularly regarding management charges and revenue-sharing. State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, M Rashiduzzaman Millat, explained that complications had arisen over specific categories of operational charges.

"Both sides discussed the matter in detail. Bangladesh presented its proposals and the Japanese side also shared their position," Millat said, adding that the Japanese side has agreed to submit a revised offer shortly.

The Bangladesh delegation, which included Foreign Minister Dr. Khalilur Rahman and Prime Minister's Foreign Affairs Adviser Humayun Kabir, emphasized that national interest remains the top priority.

Kabir noted, "The discussions between the two sides are progressing positively, and we hope to see meaningful progress soon."

The project, largely financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and executed by a consortium including Sumitomo and Mitsubishi corporations, is over 99 percent complete.

Despite its readiness, the terminal remained idle due to a lack of consensus during the previous interim government's tenure.
Spanning 542,000 square meters, the facility is designed to handle up to 16 million passengers annually and nearly 900,000 tonnes of cargo.

State Minister Millat reiterated that the current administration is seeking a solution that is "beneficial for Bangladesh while correcting shortcomings in earlier agreements."

Operationalizing the Third Terminal is seen as a critical step in easing the current congestion at Dhaka's main airport and advancing Bangladesh’s goal of becoming a major aviation hub in South and Southeast Asia.

Stakeholders believe that a successful partnership with the Japanese consortium—which includes Narita International Airport Corporation—will bring world-class ground handling and terminal management expertise to the country.

As the Japanese side prepares its revised proposal, both nations appear committed to a swift resolution that will finally open the doors of this mega-infrastructure project to commercial traffic.