Direct Flights Between Bangladesh and Pakistan Resume After 14 Years

Direct air connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan resumed on Thursday, marking the first such flights between the two countries after a 14-year hiatus.

According to Pakistan’s airport authorities, the aircraft arriving from Bangladesh landed at Karachi’s Jinnah International Airport at 11:00 pm local time. The passengers and crew were welcomed with a traditional water salute, underscoring the symbolic significance of the occasion.

Airport officials described the flight as “a new chapter” in bilateral relations between the two countries.

Speaking to reporters at the airport, Sindh Governor Kamran Tessori said cooperation between Bangladesh and Pakistan would not be limited to air connectivity alone, but would expand to other sectors as well.

Earlier, the Pakistan High Commission in Dhaka said in a statement that the inaugural flight departed fully booked from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The flight was seen off by Bangladesh’s Adviser for Civil Aviation and Tourism Sheikh Bashir Uddin, Pakistan’s High Commissioner Imran Haider, and other senior officials.

The resumption of direct flights after 14 years is being viewed as a significant milestone in enhancing connectivity and strengthening bilateral ties.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Bangladesh’s civil aviation and tourism adviser highlighted the importance of the Dhaka–Karachi route in boosting connectivity, promoting tourism, and strengthening people-to-people contacts between the two nations.