Dhaka : At least 77.5 per cent work of the capital's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport's Third Terminal has been completed. Hence, there could be a soft opening in the first week of October 2023.

Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh made the announcement at a press conference on the first floor of the terminal on June 27.

"We want to complete 90 per cent of the project before October. We hope the work will be completed before time," he added.

Work on the interior of the terminal and installations of various equipment are going on currently.

CAAB Chairman mentioned the terminal will be fully functional in 2024 and work is underway in full-swing and round the clock, so that the soft opening can successfully takes place.

He further mentioned that their 3,000 to 4,000 workers will work even during the Eid holidays.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in December 2019 inaugurated the construction work of the Third Terminal which will cost BDT 21,399 crore.

The three-storied terminal building, which will be 2.30 lac square metres, will have 115 check-in counters, 64 departure and 64 arrival immigration desks, 27 baggage scanning machines, 40 scanning machines, 12 boarding bridges, 16 carousels, and 11 body scanners.

Around two crore passengers will be able to use the HSIA after the third terminal is commissioned.

About 70 per cent of the funding is coming from the Japan International Cooperation Agency.