Key Points
- The move reflects improving Pakistan–Bangladesh relations
- Aviation and trade ties are expanding, with cargo agreements between PIA and Biman
- Pakistan and Bangladesh have signed multiple bilateral agreements covering trade, media, cultural exchanges, and diplomatic travel
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan has granted permission to Bangladesh’s national carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, to operate flights between Dhaka and Karachi, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority (PCAA) said on Friday.
Relations between Pakistan and Bangladesh are improving following the ouster of former prime minister Sheikh Hasina in the aftermath of student-led protests last year, and she has since been residing in India.
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh Imran Haider on Monday said that flights between the two friendly nations will start in January. He said this during a meeting with Bangladesh’s Chief Advisor Professor Muhammad Yunus in Dhaka.
“Pakistan has granted Biman, the national flag carrier of Bangladesh, initial permission for three months up to March 26 to operate flights between Dhaka and Karachi,” a PCAA spokesperson told Arab News.
The approval represents a significant step toward restoring direct air connectivity between the two countries.
Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan had earlier confirmed that Biman Bangladesh Airlines is preparing to launch three weekly flights to Karachi.
In November last year, the now-privatised Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) announced that it had signed a cargo agreement with Biman, aimed at streamlining air-freight operations and boosting bilateral trade. A PIA spokesperson said the agreement was part of the airline’s broader strategy to expand its cargo business and offer more competitive services to customers.
In February 2025, a cargo vessel sailed directly from Pakistan to Bangladesh for the first time in decades and successfully unloaded containers, according to port officials.
The two countries also signed six agreements last August covering visa exemptions for diplomatic and official passport holders, trade cooperation, media collaboration, and cultural exchanges, officials added.
Earlier, Pakistan and Bangladesh had agreed to grant visa-free entry to holders of diplomatic and official passports from each country, following Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi’s visit to Dhaka.
