ZCZC
BSS–08
BIMAN-SYLHET-LONDON-LAUNCH
Biman launches Sylhet-London-Sylhet direct flight
DHAKA, Oct 4, 2020 (BSS) – Biman Bangladesh Airlines today lunched much-awaited direct air connectivity between the United Kingdom’s capital London and Bangladesh’s northeastern city Sylhet, the land of origin of most British-Bangladeshi diaspora.
The inaugural flight operated by Dreamliner Boeing 787-9 took off MAG Osmani International Airport in Sylhet for London’s Heathrow International Airport on board 232 passengers at 12:05 pm.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali inaugurated the maiden Sylhet-London direct flight and saw off the passengers at the airport.
Before the pandemic, Biman used to operate Dhaka-London flight via Sylhet while from now on the national flag carrier will operate the direct Sylhet-London-Sylhet flight on every Wednesday considering high demand of the expatriate Bangladeshis.
On September 16, a virtual meeting was held between Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB), led by its chairman M Mofidur Rahman and UK’s Department for Transport (DfT) to finalise the direct flights on the Sylhet-London-Sylhet route.
After the meeting, CAAB gave permission to the national flag carrier to operate direct flights from Sylhet to London from October 4 following Biman’s approval from UK’s DfT in this regard.
Mahbub Ali said the direct air connectivity between Sylhet and London has been established after series of efforts of the government as per instruction of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
“It (the direct flight) is a gift from our Honorable Prime Minister for the Sylhet inhabitants … it will ease the contact between the expatriate Bangladeshis and their relatives residing here,” he said.
The junior minister said the effort on expanding Biman’s network to different routes is going on to turn the national flag carrier as one of the major international airlines following the instruction of Prime minister Sheikh Hasina.
Ali mentioned that Bangladesh and the USA recently signed Air Service Agreement with the provision of ‘fifth freedom’ that paves the way to establish air connectivity to different US cities via third countries.
“It’s also a significant advancement to resume Dhaka-New York-Dhaka direct flight,” he said, adding that the CAAB has also made satisfactory progress in upgrading itself into catgory-1 as per USA’s Federal Flight Administration (FAA).
He said FAA has informed CAAB that they would conduct their due in-person inspection here virtually soon amid COVID-19. “I am hopeful we will be able to resume Dhaka-New York direct flight after the inspection,” he said.
The state minister also said Biman will establish direct air connectivity between Dhaka and Toronto and Tokyo soon.
Chairman of Biman’s board of directors Sazzadul Hasan, CAAB chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman, Biman’s Managing Director and CEO Md. Mukabbir Hosain and Mohanagar Awami League president Masud Uddin Ahmed also spoke on the occasion.
The UK’s DfT will monitor all the activities of Sylhet Airport on security purpose through CCTV camera before the flight, Air Vice Marshal Rahman said.
BSS/CORR/TA/GA/1500 hrs