• Source:JND

A flight from Bangladesh landed at the Jinnah International Airport in Pakistan’s Karachi Airport on Thursday, restoring non-stop air connectivity between the two countries after 14 years, before Dhaka is scheduled for elections. The major development came at a time when the relations between India and Bangladesh is at lowest point, where geopolitical analysts suggestion this could pose a major challange for New Delhi.

According to the Pakistan Airport Authority (PAA), the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight (BG-341) from Dhaka to Karachi arrived on Thursday evening. "This is the first flight from Dhaka which landed at Jinnah International Airport after 14 years," it said in a statement.

Bangladesh flight given grand salute in Pakistan

After landing at Karachi airport, the Biman Airlines flight was welcomed with a traditional water salute. "A new chapter in Pakistan-Bangladesh friendship -- air connectivity restored after 14 years, marked by a high-level reception ceremony at Karachi Airport," the PAA added.

The development comes amid growing bonhomie between Bangladesh and Pakistan after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina was ousted following massive student-led protests in Bangladesh on August 5, 2024. The country will hold elections on February 12.

Two flights scheduled per week

The airlines will operate flights between Dhaka and Karachi twice a week and has been given a license until March 30 to test the waters before a long-term permission is given to the airlines, news agency PTI reported, citing its sources.

The airline, in a statement in Dhaka earlier this week, said, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines will operate on the Dhaka-Karachi route on Thursdays and Saturdays. The flight will depart Dhaka at 8:00 pm local time and arrive in Karachi at 11:00 pm. The return flight will depart Karachi at 12:00 midnight and arrive in Dhaka at 4:20 am.

Pakistan-Bangladesh bonhomie 

Pakistan and Bangladesh have been discussing the resumption of direct flights between Dhaka and Karachi since last year in a bid to boost trade and other ties after years of strained relations.

Bangladesh gained independence from Pakistan in 1971. Plans to restart direct flights between Bangladesh and Pakistan were first announced in August last year during the visit of Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar to Dhaka.

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Dar's visit to Dhaka was the first such high-level engagement between Pakistan and Bangladesh in over a decade.

The re-launch follows formal approval from the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority, which has cleared Biman to operate on the route and to use designated air corridors within Pakistani airspace, the officials said.

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Why is the revival of Bangladesh-Pakistan ties concerning for India?

1. Revival of Dhaka–Islamabad strategic ties: Direct flights signal warming Pakistan–Bangladesh relations after years of distance, potentially reducing India’s diplomatic influence in Dhaka.

2. Security and intelligence concerns: A direct air corridor could complicate intelligence monitoring, raising concerns over the movement of radical elements, illegal networks, or anti-India operatives.

3. Pakistan's bid to re-enter South Asia politics: Islamabad may use renewed engagement with Bangladesh to project itself as a regional player and counter India’s dominance in South Asia.

4. Impact on India–Bangladesh equations: Closer Pak–Bangladesh ties could limit India’s leverage on sensitive issues like border management, counter-terror cooperation, and regional connectivity.

5. Geopolitical signalling to and OIC bloc: The air link may fit into a broader alignment involving China and Islamic blocs, indirectly affecting India’s strategic interests in the Bay of Bengal region.

(With inputs from agencies)


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