Pakistan, Bangladesh working to resume direct flights to boost trade and medical travel

• Dhaka permits Fly Jinnah and Air Sial to operate routes between the two nations, lawmaker says
• Move comes amid renewed diplomatic, economic engagement between Islamabad and Dhaka

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan and Bangladesh are working to resume direct flights to promote trade, tourism and medical travel, the state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Friday, citing remarks by Pakistan’s parliamentary affairs minister in the National Assembly.

Direct air links between the two countries have remained limited for years, with most travelers transiting through Middle Eastern hubs. Relations between Islamabad and Dhaka have seen renewed engagement since 2024, including leadership-level diplomatic outreach and efforts to expand economic cooperation.

On Friday, Radio Pakistan quoted Parliamentary Affairs Minister Tariq Fazal Chaudhry as saying Bangladesh had already authorized two Pakistani airlines to operate flights on the route.

“Bangladesh has allowed two Pakistani airlines, Fly Jinnah and Air Sial, for operating flights between the two countries,” Chaudhry told lawmakers during Question Hour, according to a report in Radio Pakistan.

He said Islamabad attached “immense importance” to ties with Dhaka and had undertaken several political and economic initiatives to strengthen bilateral relations.

The minister added that a memorandum of understanding had been signed for Pakistan to export 200,000 metric tons of rice to Bangladesh, of which 50,000 tons had already been delivered. He also noted that Dhaka had streamlined business visa procedures for Pakistani investors to facilitate commercial activity.

The report did not specify when direct flights would formally resume.

Pakistan and Bangladesh were a single state until the former East Pakistan became independent as Bangladesh following the 1971 war. Relations between the two countries remained complicated for decades due to historical grievances and differing strategic alignments.

Dhaka maintained particularly close political and security ties with India during the long tenure of former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. She fled to India after weeks of mass protests and political unrest in Bangladesh in 2024.

Since her departure, relations between Dhaka and New Delhi have cooled, with political uncertainty and public criticism in Bangladesh over perceived overdependence on India. At the same time, diplomatic outreach between Pakistan and Bangladesh has increased, including recent high-level visits and discussions on trade, connectivity and investment.