Direct air services between Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed on Thursday after a 14-year gap, as Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated its inaugural flight from Dhaka to Karachi, marking a major step forward in enhancing bilateral connectivity and cooperation.
The inaugural flight, which was fully booked has departed from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and landed at Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, says in a press release issued by PID.
Several high-ranking officials, including Adviser for Civil Aviation and Tourism, Bangladesh Sk. Bashir Uddin, Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh, Imran Haider, Secretary of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, and the Managing Director and CEO of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, along with other senior officials, attended the historic launch.
The resumption of the Dhaka, Karachi route has been widely welcomed as a long-anticipated and positive development.
Speaking at the inaugural ceremony, the Adviser for Civil Aviation and Tourism highlighted the route’s significance in improving regional connectivity, boosting tourism, and strengthening people-to-people ties between the two nations.
He added that Biman Bangladesh Airlines plans to gradually increase flight frequency while working to reduce fares, making air travel more accessible.
Expressing optimism about the future of bilateral travel, he encouraged Bangladeshi citizens to visit Pakistan and experience its scenic landscapes, rich cultural heritage, and diverse culinary traditions.
Speaking on the occasion, the High Commissioner recalled the shared vision of Professor Muhammad Yunus, Chief Adviser of Bangladesh, and Prime Minister of Pakistan Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif to strengthen connectivity between the two countries.
He noted that, reflecting this leadership vision and the aspirations of the peoples of Pakistan and Bangladesh, both sides agreed to take immediate steps to resume direct air services during the visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Senator Muhammad Ishaq Dar to Dhaka in August last year.
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