The government is working earnestly to inaugurate the third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the near future, Commerce Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said on Thursday, adding that the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism is actively overseeing the project.

He made the remarks while meeting Baroness Winterton, the UK Trade Envoy to Bangladesh, at the Commerce Adviser’s office.

The work is progressing swiftly. The appointment of an operator to manage ground handling services at the terminal is also underway,” the adviser said.

Apart from the third terminal, the meeting focused on enhancing trade, investment, and economic cooperation between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom, as well as issues related to Bangladesh’s LDC graduation.

On the LDC graduation, the adviser said, “This is a significant milestone in our economic journey. While it will create substantial opportunities, it will also present certain challenges.”

He expressed hope for the UK’s support in addressing potential hurdles.

Baroness Winterton assured that under the UK’s Trade Benefits Programme, Bangladesh’s products will enjoy full duty-free access to the UK market until 2029, helping the country maintain its export competitiveness during the transition from LDC status.

She also emphasized the need to strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties further and expressed optimism about exploring new avenues for mutual prosperity and collaboration between the two countries.

The meeting was attended by Sarah Cooke, British High Commissioner to Bangladesh, and Md. Abdur Rahim Khan, Additional Secretary of the Ministry of Commerce.