‎Biman to resume Dhaka–Karachi direct flight resumes in Jan

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Staff Correspondent: Bangladesh’s national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is preparing to launch a regular flight on Dhaka- Karachi-Dhaka route in the third week of January as the political change in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024 prompted stakeholders in Dhaka, Karachi and Islamabad to resume this operation, sources said.

‎Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar during his visit to Dhaka last year announced his plan to launch Dhaka-Karachi flight, suspended in 2018
‎Pakistan International Airline (PIA) suspended its operations to Bangladesh in 2018 after security forces allegedly mistreated one of its officials in Dhaka. Biman Bangladesh Airlines  suspended its operations in 2012 on political ground.  
‎The interim government under Dr Muhammad Yunus has expressed interest in revitalising ties with Pakistan, aligning with recent trade agreements and the opening of a shipping route between Chittagong and Karachi.
‎Bangladesh-Pakistan relations reached a historic low during Awami League regime stretching during  2009-2024 period.  
‎Initially, Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate three flights in a week --- Saturday, Monday and Thursday—with an average two-way fare ranging between taka 48000—55,000.
‎“We have been engaged in discussions with Pakistan authorities for the last couple of months to launch direct flights from Dhaka to Karachi. Now we have the permission,” source in  Biman
‎“We are working on final preparations … We hope that the inaugural flight will commence sometime this month; it’s a direct flight from Dhaka to Karachi.”
‎Authorization for Biman to operate flights between Dhaka and Karachi has also been confirmed by the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, which granted an initial three-month authorization, valid until March 26. 
‎The direct flights mark the latest development in Bangladesh-Pakistan relations, after Dar’s visit last year concluded in the signing of agreements on trade and diplomacy. 
‎In November 2024, Pakistani cargo ships began to arrive at Bangladesh’s main Chittagong port, for the first time since 1971.
‎It would be a great opportunity to bring back the business relationship between Bangladesh-Pakistan, said Amirul Haque,  founding Managing Director of both Seacom Group and Premier Cement Mills.
‎Amirul Haque, a reputed business person of the country and also president of the Bangladesh Cement Manufacturers Association (BCMA), recalls his visit with the then Prime Minister of Bangladesh Begum Khaleda Zia to Islamabad at the invitation of   her Pakistani counterpart Shaukat Aziz during February 11-14 during 2006.
‎BNP chairperson Begum Khaleda Zia passed away at Evercare Hospital at Basundhra on December 30, 2025.
‎As the shortest route from the Bangladeshi capital and Pakistan’s largest city is through Indian airspace, Biman has acquired “the necessary permission from Indian authorities in this regard,” according to a Biman official, who requested anonymity because he was not authorized to speak to the media.
‎The Indian airspace route is the “best option” for Bangladesh’s Dhaka-Karachi flights, as the shortest possible route is the most cost-effective, said Azad Zahirul Islam, former director of Air Traffic Services and Aerodromes at the Civil Aviation Authorities of Bangladesh.
‎“According to International Civil Aviation Organisation rules, Bangladeshi aircraft can take Indian airspace for traveling to any third country,” he told Arab News. “It’s the freedom of the air space in a normal situation. So, it should be the same in the case of Dhaka-Karachi flights.”
‎The new flight route is expected to boost people-to-people ties and trade relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan.
‎“These direct flights will also open the window for boosting trade relations between Dhaka and Karachi. Direct air connectivity with any country is always good for us. As it will bring the two nations closer in terms of connectivity, it will definitely bear some strong significance politically.”
‎This comes after Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan, Muhammad Iqbal Hussain Khan said last month that Bangladesh's national carrier, Biman, had plans to operate Dhaka to Karachi to London.
‎Meanwhile, direct air connectivity between Pakistan and Bangladesh is set to resume after Pakistan granted approval to Biman Bangladesh Airlines to operate flights between Dhaka and Karachi, reports Geo News.
‎The approval, issued by Pakistan's Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) following clearance from the federal government, allows Bangladesh's national flag carrier to begin flight operations on the Dhaka-Karachi route amid improving bilateral relations between the two countries.
‎Sources told told Geo News today (2 January) that Biman has initially been allowed to operate flights until 30 March 2026. The airline has also been authorised to use Pakistan's airspace on approved routes.
‎At present, passengers travelling between Bangladesh and Pakistan have to rely on connecting flights through hubs such as Dubai or Doha.
‎The resumption of direct flights is expected to ease travel and boost people-to-people contacts as well as trade between the two nations.
‎Meanwhile,  Pakistan and Bangladesh agreed in principle to grant visa-free entry for holders of diplomatic and official passports, following talks between Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Bangladesh's Home Minister Jahangir Alam Chowdhury last year.
‎Pakistan has announced a new visa policy allowing citizens from 126 countries, including Bangladesh, to travel to Pakistan without a visa fee, to enhance diplomatic and people-to-people ties.
‎Bangladesh, being one of the 126 nations on the list, stands to benefit from this initiative.
‎A Pakistan diplomat emphasised that this policy is part of Pakistan's broader efforts to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance cooperation with Bangladesh. He also expressed optimism that the travel arrangement without any visa fee would lead to increased interactions in various sectors, including trade, education, and cultural exchanges.
‎In addition to the visa policy, the meeting also covered discussions on resuming direct flights between the two countries, which had been suspended since 2018. The envoy stressed the importance of reinstating these flights to further facilitate travel and business engagements between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
‎The new visa policy is expected to be a major step forward in improving bilateral relations, which have seen a period of relative stagnation over the past 15 years. Both sides agreed on the need to overcome past challenges and work towards a more collaborative future.