Biman Bangladesh Airlines gets approval to increase flights to Pakistan

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has received approval from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) to expand its direct operations to Pakistan by adding a third weekly flight on the Dhaka–Karachi route, 24NewsHD TV reported on Monday. 

According to flight tracking data, the Bangladeshi national carrier currently operates two weekly flights between Dhaka and Karachi using a Boeing 737 aircraft.

The additional frequency will be introduced after the airline assesses passenger volumes, market demand, and other commercial considerations, officials said.

The approval comes days after direct air travel between Pakistan and Bangladesh resumed following a suspension of more than a decade.

On January 29, Biman operated its first direct flight from Dhaka to Karachi in 14 years, marking the restoration of the route.

The inaugural flight, BG341, departed Dhaka at 8:15 pm local time and arrived at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 11:03 pm.

The aircraft was welcomed with a traditional water cannon salute on arrival.

Officials in Karachi described the resumption of direct flights as a significant step toward improving connectivity and people-to-people ties between the two countries.

In Dhaka, the departure of the inaugural flight was marked as a milestone event.

Senior officials, including Bangladesh’s civil aviation and tourism adviser Sheikh Bashiruddin and Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider, were present at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to see off the flight.