B Mirror Report: The government is set to restart discussions tomorrow with a Japanese consortium to bring the long-delayed Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport into operation, as the new administration intensifies efforts to resolve outstanding operational challenges and launch the facility.

The meeting is scheduled to take place at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and will mark the first official round of negotiations under the newly formed BNP-led government aimed at ending the prolonged stalemate surrounding the terminal’s management and operational arrangements.

Foreign Minister Khalilur Rahman, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam Rita, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M. Rashiduzzaman Millat, and State Minister for Foreign Affairs Shama Obaed Islam are expected to represent Bangladesh at the meeting, a Foreign Ministry official said on Thursday evening.

A senior official of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh expressed optimism about the outcome, noting that there is strong political determination at the highest level of government to ensure the terminal becomes operational soon.

According to officials, the delay in launching the facility mainly resulted from indecision during the previous interim government, when negotiations with the Japanese consortium over management responsibilities, operational control, and revenue-sharing arrangements failed to reach a final deal.

The Japanese consortium involved in the project includes Japan Airport Terminal Company, Sumitomo Corporation, Sojitz Corporation, and Narita International Airport Corporation. The project itself has been largely financed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

Sources said the results of Friday’s negotiations will be submitted to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Saturday for further policy guidance.

Approved in 2017 and construction launched in 2019 at an estimated cost of around Tk 21,398 crore, the Third Terminal project is now more than 99 percent complete. However, full commercial operations have yet to begin despite a soft inauguration in October 2023.

Spanning approximately 542,000 square metres, the terminal is designed to handle an additional 12 to 16 million passengers annually and process nearly 900,000 tonnes of cargo, significantly boosting the capacity of Dhaka’s main international gateway.