CAAB clears draft agreement with Japanese consortium for Third Terminal
Dhaka: The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has cleared the draft agreement with a Japanese consortium to operate the Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), bringing the long-awaited facility a step closer to commercial operations.
The decision was made at a meeting of CAAB's board of directors on November 10, following a detailed review of the proposed terms and conditions, sources at the aviation regulator said.
CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Md Mostafa Mahmood Siddiq chaired the meeting.
A concern source said that the approval was a procedural requirement before the agreement could be signed.
"Under the rules, the agreement requires board approval before signing. We completed that process today," the source said.
However, it was not clarified whether the board had endorsed several contentious provisions reportedly included in the proposed agreement.
Among them is a condition that would prevent any new airport within a 100-kilometer radius of Dhaka from commencing commercial operations for 15 years.
Asked whether the restriction had been approved, the source said details of the agreement would be made public at a press conference later.
The board's decision will now be forwarded to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism for final approval, according to CAAB sources.
The proposed arrangement to hand over terminal operations and ground-handling services to the Japanese consortium has already sparked debate over certain conditions, particularly concessions reportedly sought by the consortium.
Concerns have also been raised that some provisions could limit the future development and commercial operations of airports surrounding the capital.
Meanwhile, the government is aiming to launch limited operations at the Third Terminal on 16 December, coinciding with Victory Day.
The Japanese consortium consists of Japan Airport Terminal Co. Ltd., Sumitomo Corporation, Nippon Koei, and Narita International Airport Corporation.
