- Pakistani airlines are unlikely to operate flights to Dhaka.
- Direct routes could increase profits for traditional industries: sent.
- South Asia’s trade potential is blocked by politics, says Hussain.
ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan has confirmed that Biman Bangladesh Airlines is preparing to launch three weekly flights to Karachi.
He made these statements while speaking with The news on the sidelines of his speech at the Foreign Service Academy on Wednesday. The academy has recently introduced a new series of lectures with foreign envoys, giving young Pakistani diplomats in training the opportunity to interact directly with ambassadors on diplomatic affairs and regional issues.
“Yes, we are starting direct flights with Pakistan. Our national airline will operate three weekly flights to Karachi,” the Bangladesh high commissioner said when asked about the development.
When asked if the route would pass through Indian airspace, he said that just as Indian planes can use Bangladeshi airspace, Biman flights would also fly over India.
Sources indicate that due to India’s current airspace restrictions over Pakistan, there is currently no immediate prospect of Pakistani airlines operating flights to Dhaka.
Earlier, High Commissioner Khan delivered a detailed lecture and also answered questions from young diplomats in an interactive session.
The high commissioner said South Asia has enormous potential for trade, connectivity and cooperation, but limited access, border restrictions and regional politics continue to obstruct economic growth. He said platforms like the Foreign Services Academy’s new lecture series allow for constructive dialogue with young diplomats who represent the future of the region.
He said Pakistan and Bangladesh can significantly expand bilateral trade, but access limitations remain the biggest barrier. He noted that in the past, rail links facilitated trade between the two countries, but today Pakistani dates reach regional markets through Dubai.
Direct access, he claimed, would increase profits and increase farmers’ incomes. Citing the centuries-old pashmina industry in Kashmir, he noted that traditional sectors like dates and pashmina could multiply trade volumes if they were provided with direct market routes.
High Commissioner Khan said weak geographical connectivity is the most serious obstacle to South Asia’s progress, even though ancient trade routes once linked Kabul, Peshawar, Dhaka and Myanmar.
No country, he stressed, can progress in isolation and regional cooperation is the only practical way forward. Referring to BIMSTEC, he called it an important regional grouping that includes India, Thailand and Bangladesh, but said border restrictions and the behavior of larger powers often weaken regional trust.
He said colonial mentality, ideological dominance and tendencies towards regional supremacy hamper the effectiveness of regional organisations. Around the world, he said, countries experiencing internal inequalities often create external distractions, particularly during election periods, to consolidate their political advantages.
“South Asian societies share deep historical, cultural and civilizational links. The influence of Arab traders, interactions during the British era and the legacy of Muhammad bin Qasim remain visible in the culture and social structures of the region,” the high commissioner said.
Bangladesh’s coastal and maritime history, he added, has contributed to a tradition of openness and exchange.
He highlighted that the younger generation in South Asia is more aware, ambitious and eager for change. He said the political changes coming to Bangladesh in 2024 have revived optimism among the youth.
“As young leadership emerges, new avenues of economic progress will open up and older barriers can be dismantled. Despite artificial restrictions, people across the region want to get closer and, over time, democratic processes will strengthen and better leadership will emerge.”
Concluding his remarks, he expressed hope that a new era of regional trade, connectivity and shared development can take shape if South Asian nations prioritize collective progress and place cooperation at the center of policymaking.
