Third Terminal to Deliver Baggage Within 40 Minutes, Says Bangladesh Government

The government has set a maximum baggage delivery time of 40 minutes for passengers at the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, with financial penalties to be imposed on operators that fail to meet the deadline.

Speaking at a press conference at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism in the Bangladesh Secretariat on Tuesday, Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser M. Rashiduzzaman Millat said passengers will receive the first checked bag within 12 minutes of an aircraft's arrival, while the final bag must be delivered within 40 minutes.

The adviser said the government expects to partially open the long-awaited third terminal on December 16. However, full operations may take another five to six months to become fully functional.

To improve passenger services, the new terminal will operate under strict service-level standards covering baggage handling, aircraft boarding, and passenger disembarkation.

According to Millat, the agreement signed with the Japanese consortium responsible for operating the terminal sets a target of delivering the first bag within 12 minutes and the last bag within 25 minutes. A grace period of up to 40 minutes has been allowed, but operators will face penalties if they fail to meet the agreed standards.

"The first bag must arrive within 12 minutes, and the last bag must be delivered within a maximum of 40 minutes. If they fail to do so, they will be fined," he said.

The adviser added that the contract also specifies time limits for passenger boarding and disembarkation. Operators that fail to meet the required service standards will be held accountable under the agreement.

Responding to questions about baggage handling at the existing terminals, Millat claimed that passengers are already receiving their luggage more quickly than before. He said that, in most cases, baggage is now delivered within 40 minutes.

However, he acknowledged that further infrastructure upgrades and operational improvements are needed before the same level of service can be fully ensured at the older terminals.

Millat expressed hope that the opening of the third terminal would significantly reduce the long-standing inconvenience faced by passengers at Bangladesh's busiest international airport.