Ground Breaking Ceremony of Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Speech of Honorable Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Saturday, 28 December 2019, Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka BismillahirRahmanir Rahim The Chair, Dear Colleagues, Ambassador of Japan, and Ambassadors of other countries, Head Representative, JICA Office in Bangladesh and Ladies and Gentleman, Assalamu Alaikum and a very Good Morning. I welcome you all at the Ground Breaking Ceremony of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. On the month of victory, I pay my deep homage to the greatest Bangalee of all times, Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman. Under the great and magical leadership of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, we have achieved an independent sovereign state of Bangladesh. I also recall the four martyred national leaders, 3 million martyrs of the Liberation War, and 2 lakh mothers and sisters who sacrificed their modesty for the cause of independence. Ladies and Gentlemen, As the fastest and safest mode of transportation, the importance of travelling by air throughout the world is increasing day by day. With this increase in importance, the need. for the development and expansion of the infrastructure required for the aviation system is urgent. Various economic activities, including the expansion of Bangladesh's import-export trade, the development of the tourism industry, are revolving around this sector. We can be benefited in many ways if adequate and modern facilities are ensured at airports. About 7.5 million people of our country live in different countries of the world. Besides, hundreds of people are going abroad every day to do business and people are also coming to our country from abroad. The airport is like a mirror of a country. In this mirror, the image of a country is reflected to the citizens of the world. This helps to develop an idea about a country. The image of Bangladesh will be brightened abroad if the expansion and development activities are continued to maintain high quality services and security system at the airport. Because of the increase demand of the passengers and cargo, the capacity of the airport needs to be augmented. Investment in the country will be increased. The tourism industry will be flourished. The country will be benefited economically. Emphasizing the importance of the issue, the Bangladesh Awami League, in its election manifesto, promised to the people that ‘Rajshahi, Sylhet, Chittagong and Barisal airports will be upgraded. Construction of the third terminal at Dhaka Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, the installation of new radar and construction of pipeline for supply of Jet fuel will be completed.’ Today, we went a step further in implementing our promise made to the people by setting the foundation stone for the construction of the third terminal building of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Ladies and Gentlemen, Construction of the Kurmitola airfield, used during World War II, as a provincial airport started in the year 1966. Under the leadership of Father of the nation, project was taken to construct the airport as an international one. During the middle of the 80s, wide bodied aircraft began to operate regularly at this airport and passenger movement and transportation of freight started increasing manifold. Over the time, the number of passengers and amount of freight transportation at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport continued to increase. The Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority had appointed a consultation farm in the year 2014 for developing a master plan and feasibility study of the airport. According to their survey, the need for the development and expansion of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport terminal, runway, cargo facilities etc. was felt to meet the increasing demand of passengers and goods. In this context, to meet the demand of future aviation and to ensure security of international standard, it was decided to implement the project ‘Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport Extension’ through the construction of new third terminal at the airport with loan assistance from the Japanese government. We hope, the construction of the third terminal building of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport will be completed by 4 years. The new terminal building will be modern, as beautiful as any airport of developed country and will have all the modern facilities for passenger. Currently the airport has an annual passenger capacity of 80 lacs. Once the project is completed, it will be more than one crore and twenty lac. The number of international routes will increase and new destinations will be connected to the skyline of Bangladesh. This will not only increase the scope of huge employment opportunity but also the export will increase and thereby the overall economy of the country will be strengthened. The project has been included in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). In relation to expanding the contact to international arena our activities are not limited to the capital city Dhaka only. As part of making Cox's Bazar, a focal point of the tourism industry, Cox's Bazar Airport is being planned to make an international one. For the direct flight to London from Osmani International Airport, expansion of existing runways and taxi way at Osmani Int’l Airport is going on. The construction of Khanjahan Ali Airport at Bagerhat, strengthening of existing runway and taxi way of Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport and development projects at Saidpur Airport are running at this moment Throughout the development activities of the airports, civil aviation transport and tourism will be flourished across the country and people will get the benefit. The rate of commercial aviation in Bangladesh has increased manifolds. Extinct and non-profit state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited has been completely refurbished. Two Boeing 787 dreamliners ‘Awchin Pakhi’ and ‘Shonar Tori’ have been launched today. The new 12 aircrafts, including the latest Boeing 787, have been added to the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. In order to increase the capacity of the Bangladesh Civil Aviation Authority, we have taken initiative to purchase modern equipment including new radar. Besides, in line with the increase in the working arena of the airlines and civil aviation authorities, we have established Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Aviation and Aerospace University to create skilled and trained manpower in this sector. I, on behalf of the people of our country, would like to extend my sincere thanks to the friendly Japan government and JICA for their support in this development initiative of Civil Aviation sector. Ladies and Gentlemen, Being imbued with the spirit of the freedom struggle, the Awami League government has relentlessly been working to develop the country. We have been accomplishing the unfinished work of the Father of the Nation. We have achieved expected developments in every sector during last 11 years. Bangladesh has become the ‘Role Model’ of socio-economic development in the world. Our government is maintaining ‘zero tolerance’ policy to tackle militancy, terrorism and drug-menace. For the first time in the world, we have formulated a hundred year plan named ‘Delta Plan 2100’. Bangladesh is one of the five top countries in the world in economic development. Ninety percent of development work is financed by our own resources. Due to the continuation of the Awami League government, grassroot people are now getting the dividend of the development. Bangladesh is moving forward and it will continue. The next generation will get a prosperous Bangladesh. We have been able to develop so much because of continuing democracy and good governance. And it is the support of people which allowed us to accomplish this much of huge task within such a short span. 2 The people, satisfied with the development activities of our government, have given us a landslide victory in the election of the 11th Parliament. We will fully implement every promise made to the people. We will celebrate the birth anniversary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman in 2020 and the golden jubilee of great independence in 2021. We will turn Bangladesh into a middle-income country by 2021 and a prosperous one by 2041, InshaAllah. Thank you all. Khoda Hafez. Joi Bangla, Joi Bangabandhu May Bangladesh Live Forever. ... 3 .