After ten years, Biman Bangladesh Airline resumed direct flights from Dhaka to Karachi on January 29, offering substantial time savings and lowering passenger costs by up to Tk 30,000.
According to airline sources, Biman has set the minimum one-way fee at Tk 30,899, while round-trip tickets will begin at Tk 56,903. This represents a significant decrease from current transit fares.
Due to restricted seat availability and reliance on foreign carriers, economy-class return tickets from Dhaka to Karachi on indirect routes via Middle Eastern destinations currently cost between Tk 88,000 and Tk 120,000, according to multiple travel firms.The CEO of Innoglobe Tours and Travel, Md. Taslim Amin, told BSS today that the lack of a direct flight link has long required travelers to go via Dubai, Doha, or Sharjah, greatly increasing journey time and cost.
According to Amin, Director of the Tour Operators Association of Bangaldesh (TOAB), passengers currently face average travel times ranging from 8.5 to 13 hours, and in some cases more than 20 hours, depending on transit schedules, whereas a nonstop flight between Dhaka and Karachi normally takes four to four and a half hours.
In a market that has successfully operated under monopoly conditions, travel agents noted that the introduction of Biman’s nonstop service and the potential admission of other airlines are anticipated to bring competition and help stabilize fares.
The reopened Dhaka–Karachi route would first function as a “strategic observation,” with flights operating on a trial basis from January 29 to March 30, according to Biman officials.
Ashraful Alam, director of marketing and sales at Biman, stated, “We are getting good response so far. More than 80 percent of the tickets of the Dhaka-Karachi first flight have been sold.”
Before deciding whether to make the route permanent or increase aircraft frequency, passenger demand, load factors, and overall commercial performance will be rigorously watched throughout the course of the two-month test period.
Biman last operated direct flights on the route in 2012 but suspended services following sustained losses and weak passenger demand.
Officials said the cautious relaunch reflects lessons drawn from that experience.Under the published schedule, flights will operate twice weekly on Thursdays and Saturdays.
Return flights leave Karachi at 12:00 am and arrive in Dhaka at 4:20 am the next day, whereas departures from Dhaka at 8:00 pm arrive in Karachi at 11:00 pm.
According to Bosra Islam, General Manager (Public Relations) of Biman, the schedule was created to accommodate contemporary travel requirements, allowing travelers to arrive at their destination without experiencing any transit delays.
According to her, the direct connection would facilitate travel for travelers and open up new business and tourism opportunities, supporting the airline’s long-term economic expansion.
The re-launch comes after months of technical and political cooperation between Bangladeshi and Pakistani aviation authorities, which led to official authorizations for the use of airspace and regulatory clearance for the resumption of direct flights.
Business communities in both countries have welcomed the reopening of the Dhaka–Karachi route, which is seen as a positive indicator for bilateral economic cooperation.
Along with enabling family visits, religious tourism, and medical travel—all of which had previously been hampered by expensive fares and long travel times—the route is also anticipated to increase leather exports, agricultural trade, and small and medium-sized businesses.
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