The Bangladesh government has resumed formal discussions with a Japanese consortium to operationalize the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The high-level meeting, held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs under the directive of Prime Minister Tareq Rahman, was attended by senior officials from both countries. Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam said the government is optimistic about reaching a mutually beneficial agreement with Japan to launch the terminal as soon as possible.

The meeting focused on key financial and operational issues, including embarkation fees, revenue sharing, and upfront fees for terminal management. State Minister for Civil Aviation M. Rashiduzzaman Millat described the talks as positive, noting that both sides presented their proposals and agreed to continue discussions. The Japanese delegation, led by Takahashi Naoki and Rieko Nakayama, will review Bangladesh’s proposals and submit revised ones soon.

The terminal, 99 percent complete, has faced delays due to disagreements over management and revenue-sharing terms during the interim government. Funded by JICA and involving several Japanese corporations, the project aims to handle up to 16 million passengers annually once operational.