B'desh to resume int'l flights later this month

Dhaka

The Bangladesh government has decided to allow international flight operations from late June after over two months of suspension due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Bangladesh's international air connectivity will resume in the third week of the month, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md Mohibul Haque told bdnews24 on Monday.

"We are ready to fly international routes. But the date of resumption will be announced later," Md Mofidur Rahman, the chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, said.

The first flights will operate on London and Qatar routes.

"Biman Bangladesh Airlines will fly to London. British Airways will be able to use the route if they want and Qatar Airways can do the same as well.

"Biman Bangladesh Airlines will fly to London. British Airways will be able to use the route if they want and Qatar Airways can do the same as well," he told bdnews24.

The coronavirus pandemic forced countries across the world to cut off international air connectivity.

Bangladesh followed suit and barred incoming flights from all European countries, except the UK, on March 16 as the government enforced a shutdown to limit the spread of the infection.

After stretching the prohibition several times since, Bangladesh resumed flights on domestic routes on Jun 1 and continued flights to and from China only as CAAB extended suspension on all other international flights until June 15.

However, chartered flights, cargo flights, air ambulances and emergency landings were not affected by this ban.