DHAKA : Newly appointed Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat today said the government is working to hold the soft opening of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport’s (HSIA) Third Terminal on December 16 next.

The minister said this while talking to journalists in his office at Bangladesh Secretariat on the first day of his office after taking charge of the ministry.

Responding to journalists’ queries, the minister also outlined a series of priorities for the country’s aviation sector, including operationalising the Third Terminal, resuming Dhaka-New York flights, expanding Biman’s fleet and advancing airport development projects.

Millat said steps are being taken to sign an agreement with a Japanese company in September in connection with the Third Terminal.

He said the government is also working to launch Dhaka-New York flights next year and expressed optimism that 10 leased aircraft could soon be added to the fleet of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Regarding Ishwardi Airport, the minister said the government is considering resuming flight operations soon to facilitate transportation of radioactive materials for the nuclear power plant in Pabna.

On Jashore Airport, Millat said he had spoken with US-Bangla Airlines regarding flight operations following a decline in commercial flights at the airport.

He said a feasibility study for construction of Bogura Airport is underway, while the government is hopeful for commissioning of the Cox’s Bazar International Airport in October.

Earlier in the morning today Millat formally joined the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism and was received by officials and employees of the ministry with flowers.

Later, he attended an exchange-of-views meeting with officials of the ministry and departments under the ministry.

Addressing the officials, Millat said his first priority would be to remove coordination gaps between the ministry and departments under the ministry, and build an effective team to inject greater momentum into the country’s aviation and tourism sectors.

“I am grateful to Honourable Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for entrusting me with the responsibility of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism. Reshuffling is a normal process. Under the new leadership, we want to move the ministry’s activities forward by building a team,” he said.

For greater efficiency and coordination, Millat said he intends to work from either the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) or Biman Bangladesh Airlines office one day in every five working days.

“My first task will be to eliminate the lack of coordination between the ministry and its departments,” he said.

The minister told officials that good performance would be rewarded while poor performance would face consequences, stressing that they must move beyond “conventional bureaucracy” to make the ministry’s activities more dynamic.

He also underscored the need for innovative planning to move the aviation and tourism sectors forward.