Bangladesh and Pakistan are set to restore direct air connectivity when flights resume between Dhaka and Karachi later this month. The long-awaited relaunch of direct flights—absent since 2012—was confirmed by Bangladesh’s national airline on Thursday.
“We are relaunching the Dhaka-Karachi route with two weekly flights,” airline manager Bosra Islam told AFP on Thursday, explaining plans to operate services twice a week starting January 29.
What’s changing for travellers
Currently, passengers flying between Bangladesh and Pakistan must navigate indirect routes, often stopping at Gulf hubs such as Dubai or Doha, adding time and expense to their journeys. With the new service, travellers can expect more convenient, nonstop options.
According to airline officials, the schedule will initially include two weekly departures from Dhaka to Karachi. Cargo connections have already begun to strengthen links after ships resumed sailing from Karachi to Bangladesh’s key Chittagong port in late 2024
The resumption of direct flights comes amid a noticeable warming in diplomatic relations between the two nations. Relations had remained strained under the government of former Bangladeshi prime minister Sheikh Hasina, but ties began to improve following her ouster in 2024. High‑level visits and increased dialogue between officials from both sides have laid the groundwork for this renewed connectivity.
Also read | Pakistan’s dangerous fantasy of reclaiming Bangladesh through propaganda and intimidation
Pakistan’s High Commissioner to Bangladesh expressed optimism that direct flights would begin in January, and officials on both sides have engaged in discussions over several months to clear the way for the service.
Recently, National Assembly Speaker Ayaz Sadiq travelled to Dhaka for the funeral of the country’s first female prime minister Khaleda Zia in December. And in August 2025, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar had also visitd Dhaka and met Yunus.
