(AFP, News): Direct flights between Bangladesh and Pakistan are set to resume after more than a decade, signaling a warming of bilateral ties and shifting regional dynamics. Bangladesh’s national airline will operate the first Dhaka-Karachi flight on January 29, 2026, with services scheduled twice weekly. This marks the first regular route since 2012.
“We are relaunching the Dhaka-Karachi route with two weekly flights,” airline manager Bosra Islam told AFP.
The airline highlighted that the return of direct flights would enhance connectivity, facilitating business travel, tourism, and family visits. Currently, travelers between the two countries must take connecting flights via Gulf hubs such as Dubai or Doha.
The move follows significant developments in Bangladesh’s political landscape. A student-led uprising in August 2024 ended Sheikh Hasina’s 15-year rule, creating a shift in regional alliances. Relations with India, a long-time ally of Hasina, cooled, while ties with Pakistan improved.
Economic and cultural exchanges between the two countries are also on the rise. Cargo ships resumed operations from Karachi to Chittagong in November 2024, trade volumes have increased, Pakistani artists have performed in Dhaka, and Bangladeshi patients are increasingly traveling to Pakistan for medical care.
The resumption of flights reflects a broader trend of growing cooperation between the two nations, offering new opportunities for business, tourism, and people-to-people connections.
