Biman Bangladesh Airlines has restarted direct flights between Dhaka and Narita, Japan. This important service was paused for over a year. The flights restore Bangladesh’s only non-stop air link with Japan. Many people want to travel between the two countries.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam formally opened the resumed service. The event took place at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka early this morning. Minister Khanam said the route will not be stopped again. She hopes the flights will be profitable this time.
Bookings for the first flight and future flights have been good. This shows strong interest from Bangladeshis living in Japan. The minister added that this direct air link will make Bangladesh-Japan relations stronger. It will also create new ways for economic cooperation.
State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Rashiduzzaman Millat also spoke. He said the government decided to restart the service for about 45,000 Bangladeshis in Japan. This includes students, workers, and other expatriates. Mr. Millat stated that Biman will add more aircraft. This will ensure the service continues without stopping. He mentioned Boeing and Airbus planes.
Mr. Millat remembered Shaheed President Ziaur Rahman. He said President Ziaur Rahman started the Dhaka-Narita service in 1980. This was done even when there were not many aircraft. Mr. Millat also said Prime Minister Tarique Rahman directed the current resumption of service.
Biman flight BG376 left for Narita at 2:25 am today. The national airline had stopped its Dhaka-Narita flights in July last year. This was due to not enough aircraft, operating costs, and business reasons.
The current government instructed Biman to bring back the route. This is part of a larger plan to strengthen ties with Japan. These ties include economics, trade, and people-to-people connections.
Biman officials plan to operate one weekly flight at first. They will use a Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner aircraft. The number of flights will increase over time. This depends on passenger demand and aircraft availability.
The airline is also planning a special partnership. This will be with Japan Airlines and Air Canada. Narita could become a travel hub for Biman passengers. They could then travel to places in North America. This includes Canada and the United States. Passengers from Dhaka could connect to these other places through partner airlines.
Biman first resumed direct Dhaka-Narita flights in September 2023. This was after a break of 17 years. However, the service was stopped again in July last year.
