- Pakistani carriers are unlikely to operate flights to Dhaka.
- Direct routes could increase profits for traditional industries (envoy).
- South Asia’s trade potential is blocked by politics, Hussain says.
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 remarks while addressing News on the sidelines of his speech at the Foreign Services Academy on Wednesday. The academy recently launched a new lecture series featuring foreign envoys, giving young Pakistani diplomats-in-training the opportunity to engage directly with ambassadors on diplomatic affairs and regional issues.
“Yes, we are launching direct flights with Pakistan. Our national airline will operate three weekly flights to Karachi,” said the Bangladesh High Commissioner when asked about the development.
When asked if the route would pass over Indian airspace, he said that just like Indian planes can use Bangladeshi airspace, Biman flights would also fly over India.
Sources indicate that due to the current airspace restrictions imposed by India on Pakistan, there is currently no immediate prospect of Pakistani carriers 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 holds vast potential for trade, connectivity and cooperation, but limited access, border restrictions and regional politics continue to hamper economic growth. He said platforms such as the new Foreign Service Academy Lecture Series enable constructive dialogue with young diplomats who represent the future of the region.
He said Pakistan and Bangladesh can significantly expand bilateral trade, but access constraints remain the main obstacle. He noted that in the past, rail links facilitated trade between the two countries, but today, dates from Pakistan reach regional markets via Dubai.
Direct access, he said, would increase profits and increase farmers’ income. Citing Kashmir’s centuries-old pashmina industry, he noted that traditional sectors like dates and pashmina could multiply trade volumes if they had direct trade routes.
High Commissioner Khan said poor geographic 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 alone, and regional cooperation is the only practical way forward. Referring to BIMSTEC, he called it an important regional grouping comprising India, Thailand and Bangladesh, but said border restrictions and the behavior of major powers often weaken regional confidence.
He said colonial mindsets, ideological domination and tendencies towards regional supremacy hinder the effectiveness of regional organizations. Across the world, he added, countries facing internal inequality often create external distractions, particularly during elections, to consolidate their political advantage.
“South Asian societies share deep historical, cultural and civilizational ties. The influence of Arab traders, interactions during the British era and the legacy of Muhammad bin Qasim remain visible in the region’s culture and social structures,” 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 hungry for change. Political changes in Bangladesh in 2024, he said, have revived optimism among young people.
“As young leaders emerge, new avenues of economic progress will open and old barriers can be dismantled. Despite artificial restrictions, people across the region want to come together and, over time, democratic processes will strengthen and better leadership will emerge.”
Concluding his speech, 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.
