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Plans are underway for a soft opening of the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on December 16, with preparations progressing to sign an operational contract with a Japanese consortium in September.
The newly appointed Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, M Rashiduzzaman Millat, MP, also reiterated the government’s goal of launching direct Dhaka-New York flights next year. He said Biman Bangladesh Airlines would also add 10 leased aircraft to its fleet shortly.
Minister Millat officially assumed office at the Bangladesh Secretariat, where ministry officials and staff welcomed him with floral bouquets. After taking charge, he held an exchange-of-views meeting with senior officials of the ministry and its subordinate agencies.
In his address, Millat expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for entrusting him with the ministry. “We aim to drive forward ministry operations by building a cohesive team,” he said.
To address coordination gaps among agencies, the minister said he would work directly from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) or the Biman Bangladesh Airlines headquarters once every five working days. He urged officials to move beyond conventional bureaucratic practices and warned that their performance would be strictly evaluated, with rewards and penalties applied accordingly.
On regional connectivity, Millat said the government plans to reactivate Ishwardi Airport to facilitate the transportation of materials for the Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant.
He said a feasibility study for Bogura Airport was underway, while Cox’s Bazar International Airport is expected to become fully operational by October. Discussions are also ongoing with US-Bangla Airlines to restore flight frequency at Jashore Airport.