Sold-out first flight as Biman restarts direct Dhaka-Karachi route tomorrow

Biman Bangladesh Airlines will launch direct flights on the Dhaka-Karachi-Dhaka route from tomorrow, resuming direct air connectivity with Pakistan after more than a decade.

A Biman flight, carrying passengers, will depart from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport for Karachi at 8:00pm tomorrow, said officials of the national flag carrier.

All tickets for the inaugural flight have been sold out, they said.

The flight will land in Karachi after around three hours of nonstop flying.

Biman will initially operate two direct flights to the Pakistani city every week.

Earlier, the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority granted approval to Biman to begin operations on the route and to use Pakistan's airspace on approved corridors.

At present, passengers travelling between Bangladesh and Pakistan largely rely on connecting flights via hubs such as Dubai or Doha.

The resumption of direct flight between the two South Asian countries is expected to ease travel and facilitate trade.

Biman officials said the airline had been engaged in discussions with Pakistani authorities for several months to resume the route, which will mark the first direct Dhaka-Karachi flights since 2012.

The direct flights come amid improving bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Pakistan, following recent diplomatic engagements.