Pak–Bangladesh Direct Flights to Resume This December

Bangladesh High Commissioner Iqbal Hussain Khan has announced that Mahan Air is expected to begin three weekly flights between Karachi and Dhaka starting next month, a development that is set to boost trade, ease travel, and significantly strengthen regional connectivity. Speaking at the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he explained that this new air link will provide faster movement for business communities and help deepen economic engagement between Pakistan and Bangladesh.

The high commissioner also revealed that the visa application process has been simplified to make bilateral travel more convenient. Visas are now being issued on the joint recommendation of the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Bangladesh Honorary Consulate in Lahore, allowing business members to receive visas within three to four days. This accelerated procedure aims to encourage more frequent travel and strengthen business partnerships.

Highlighting the potential for enhanced trade collaboration, the envoy noted opportunities in the agricultural and food sectors. He proposed that Pakistan could increase rice exports to Bangladesh, while Bangladesh could supply fresh pineapples to the Pakistani market. He further emphasized the strong prospects for textile and readymade garment trade, an area where Bangladesh has developed considerable expertise.

The high commissioner added that a direct cargo shipping service is also in the pipeline. Although a cargo service has been operational since December of last year, growing trade volumes between the two countries now call for a dedicated direct route to meet increased demand. This service is expected to reduce shipping time and lower logistics costs for exporters and importers.

In the education sector, he encouraged closer academic collaboration and announced that the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan will soon send a delegation of representatives from 12 universities to Bangladesh. The objective is to promote Pakistani higher education and attract more Bangladeshi students. He also pointed to Pakistan’s tourism sector as an area with significant potential, stating that the two countries share deep cultural, historical, and social ties that make people-to-people exchanges natural and meaningful.

LCCI President Faheemur Rehman Saigol echoed these sentiments, describing Pakistan and Bangladesh as countries with a shared heritage that can work together across multiple sectors. He supported the proposal to increase rice exports to Bangladesh and expressed interest in learning from Bangladesh’s experience in the garments industry. He also noted opportunities for cooperation in the IT, automobile, and services sectors, stressing that bilateral trade—currently valued at around 700 million dollars—could be expanded to 3 billion dollars in the coming years.

Saigol said that the launch of direct flights would serve as a major catalyst for trade growth and assured full support from the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry. He responded positively to the high commissioner’s invitation to lead a business delegation to Bangladesh and confirmed that a delegation would visit Dhaka in the near future, marking another step toward strengthening economic, cultural, and commercial ties between the two nations.