Pakistan and Bangladesh are set to resume direct air connectivity after a gap of more than 14 years, marking a significant development in bilateral relations and regional travel. Bangladesh’s national carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, has announced that it will relaunch direct flights between Karachi and Dhaka starting January 29, with services operating twice weekly.
This will be the first regular direct flight service between the two countries since 2012. Currently, travellers between Pakistan and Bangladesh are required to transit through Gulf hubs such as Dubai or Doha, making travel longer and more costly.
According to Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the resumption of direct flights will significantly enhance connectivity, facilitating business travel, tourism, medical travel and family reunions. The airline described the move as an important step toward strengthening people-to-people contact and economic engagement between the two nations.
Pakistan and Bangladesh, which were once a single country before separating in 1971, are geographically divided by more than 1,500 kilometres, with India in between. In recent months, bilateral ties have shown signs of warming amid shifting regional dynamics.
Cargo shipping between Karachi and Bangladesh’s major port of Chittagong resumed in November 2024, leading to increased trade volumes. Cultural exchanges have also picked up, with Pakistani artists performing in Dhaka and Bangladeshi patients travelling to Pakistan for medical treatment.
The restoration of direct air links is expected to further strengthen trade, tourism and cultural ties, opening a new chapter in Pakistan–Bangladesh relations and improving regional connectivity in South Asia.
Source: https://tribune.com.pk/story/2586067/direct-pakistan-bangladesh-flights-to-resume-after-14-years
