Four foreign firms shortlisted for 3rd terminal

Four international aviation services companies have been shortlisted to operate and maintain ground handling services at the third terminal of Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The shortlisted firms are the UK-based Menzies Aviation, Switzerland's Swissport, Türkiye's Çelebi Aviation Holding and the United Arab Emirates' Dubai National Air Travel Agency (dnata), according to Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) officials.

The Japanese consortium responsible for the terminal's operation and maintenance prepared the shortlist. And thus, they set the stage for competition in a sector long dominated by Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

CAAB Member for Operations and Planning Air Commodore Abu Sayeed Mehboob Khan said the regulator will now examine the companies' security and regulatory eligibility before submitting its findings to the consortium for final selection. 

Once chosen, the selected company must apply for a CAAB licence, after which the authority will verify its proposed services, machinery, facilities and operational capacity.

The move comes as the government prepares to bring the third terminal into partial operation on 16 December by introducing flights gradually. Despite a soft opening in October 2023 and near-complete construction, the terminal, which has an annual capacity of 1.2 crore passengers, has remained non-operational. 

Its project cost rose to Tk 22,213 crore following a third revision approved in September, while the completion deadline was extended to June 2027.

Hiring an international operator is expected to introduce competition in baggage handling, aircraft loading and unloading, passenger assistance and turnaround operations at the airport, which handled over 1.25 crore passengers in 2025. 

All proposed investments, recruitment and training commitments remain subject to regulatory clearance and final commercial arrangements.

Menzies Aviation, proposed investing over $12 million in ground support equipment, technology and training alongside setting up a local aviation training academy. The firm operates at around 350 airports across 65 countries with about 65,000 employees and $3 billion in 2025 revenue.

Charles Wyley, its executive vice-president for the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, said the firm plans to create over 1,000 direct jobs with 99 per cent local recruitment and estimates generating another 4,500 indirect jobs through suppliers and transport providers.

Having applied for a licence after a 2018 Air Navigation Order, Menzies claims it submitted the only fully compliant application cleared by CAAB. The company has since formed Menzies Bangladesh Limited and says it could begin operations within three months of receiving final approvals.

Among the other contenders, Swissport operates at 312 airports in 49 countries with around 63,000 staff and is reportedly bidding in partnership with Bangladesh's Rhythm Group. Türkiye's Çelebi Aviation Holding plans to invest in electric ground support equipment, create 1,000 to 1,500 local jobs and initially deploy equipment from its international operations to avoid delays. Meanwhile, Emirates Group subsidiary Dubai National Air Travel Agency (dnata) operates in 35 countries, though its investment and recruitment plans for Dhaka have not been publicly disclosed.

Amid longstanding complaints over baggage delays, inefficient aircraft turnaround and inconsistent service at Dhaka airport, former CAAB chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman cautioned that bringing in a foreign operator alone would not improve services without enforceable standards. 

Noting that service quality matters more than the operator's identity in boosting passenger numbers and aircraft movements, he urged regular monitoring of stipulated baggage delivery and turnaround times alongside strict penalties for contract breaches to reduce passengers' suffering.

Source: The Daily Star