Following 'Fly Jinnah', another Pakistani private airline, 'Air Sial', has expressed interest in operating flights to Bangladesh. Foreign Secretary Jasim Uddin conveyed this information.
On Thursday (April 17), he told the media, "Air Sial has applied to us for launching flights. We are considering the matter."
Regarding this, Bangladesh's High Commissioner to Pakistan, Md. Iqbal Hossain, said that Fly Jinnah is currently awaiting the expansion of its fleet. However, if approved, Air Sial could start its flights to Dhaka within two months.
He further stated that the resumption of direct air communication between Bangladesh and Pakistan would encourage the tourism sector and further enhance people-to-people contact between the two countries.
Earlier, on September 2 last year, Pakistan's High Commissioner to Dhaka, Syed Ahmed Maroof, met with the Home Affairs Advisor. During that meeting, he emphasized the importance of resuming direct flights between the two countries in the interest of "mutual relations and business interests."
He mentioned that Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) last operated direct flights between Bangladesh and Pakistan in 2018. However, PIA suspended flights on that route citing low passenger numbers and financial losses. The Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FPCCI) recently brought the issue of resuming direct flights to the forefront.
Subsequently, on January 12, the President of FPCCI, Atif Ikram, met with the Trade Advisor of the interim government in Dhaka, Sheikh Bashir Uddin. At that time, he said that Pakistani businessmen are interested in expanding their investment and trade in Bangladesh. However, they are facing obstacles in realizing this due to visa complexities and the absence of direct flights.
It is worth noting that Air Sial started its journey in August 2015. The organization is a licensed airline for transporting passengers and cargo on domestic and international routes.
