Pakistan-Bangladesh Flights Restored After 14-Year Suspension

(MENAFN) A significant diplomatic milestone unfolded Thursday as direct air service between Bangladesh and Pakistan recommenced after more than a decade of suspension, signaling strengthened ties between the two predominantly Muslim nations and unlocking potential for enhanced commercial and tourism exchanges.

Pakistan's Airports Authority confirmed the historic arrival, with the Bangladeshi aircraft touching down at Karachi Airport at approximately 11.00 pm local time. The plane received a ceremonial water salute upon arrival, while officials greeted passengers and flight crew in a formal welcoming ceremony.

"A new chapter in Pakistan-Bangladesh friendship! Air connectivity has been restored after 14 years, with a high-level reception ceremony at Karachi Airport," the authority declared in an official statement.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines announced in a formal release that the inaugural service on the Dhaka–Karachi–Dhaka route launched with flight BG-341 departing from Dhaka at 8.00 pm local time.

Sheikh Bashir Uddin, adviser at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, participated in the reopening ceremony alongside Imran Haider, Pakistan's high commissioner to Bangladesh, and Air Vice Marshal Md. Mostafa Mahmud Siddiq, chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

The nonstop service will operate twice weekly—every Thursday and Saturday—under winter scheduling arrangements.

The aerial connection was severed in 2012 during Sheikh Hasina's administration, with authorities citing "security" concerns as justification for the suspension.

Relations between the two South Asian neighbors experienced a renaissance following the August 2024 uprising that toppled Hasina's government and forced her exodus to India.

Extended negotiations and senior-level Pakistani delegations, including a landmark visit by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar in August last year, culminated in the formal decision to reinstate flights several months ago.

Dar's trip represented Pakistan's first such prominent diplomatic engagement with Bangladesh in 13 years. Bangladesh achieved sovereignty from Pakistan in 1971 through an independence conflict.

Last August witnessed Bangladesh eliminating visa obligations for Pakistani officials for the first time since 1971, while Pakistan pledged 500 scholarships for Bangladeshi students spanning the next five years, complemented by training initiatives for 100 Bangladeshi civil servants.

A 162-passenger Boeing 737 aircraft will service the 1,471-mile corridor linking Dhaka and Karachi, with journey duration estimated at approximately three hours.

Prior to the resumption, travelers faced mandatory connections through Middle Eastern transit hubs, substantially increasing travel duration and expenses.

Bosra Islam, general manager of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' public relations department, informed media outlets that the maiden flight achieved complete booking capacity, while reservations for the second flight exceeded 80% occupancy.

The official expressed optimism that the restored flight will "increase communication between the two nations, and open new possibilities in the business, trade and tourism sectors."

MENAFN02022026000045017169ID1110681139