By Our Correspondent
KARACHI — Direct air travel between Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed on Thursday after a 14-year suspension, as Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated its first flight from Dhaka to Karachi.
Pakistan’s High Commission in Dhaka said the fully booked aircraft departed Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and landed at Jinnah International Airport, marking a key step in restoring bilateral connectivity.
The inaugural flight was seen off by Bangladesh’s Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin, Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider, and senior aviation officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, Bashiruddin highlighted the Dhaka-Karachi route’s role in boosting tourism, trade, and people-to-people ties, adding that flight frequency would gradually increase and fares would be reduced.
High Commissioner Haider said the move reflected the shared vision of interim leader Muhammad Yunus and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to strengthen links between the two countries, noting that an agreement to restore flights was reached during Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar’s visit to Dhaka last August.
Passengers on the inaugural service welcomed the restored air link, calling it a positive step toward closer relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh.
