- Pakistani airlines are unlikely to fly to Dhaka.
- Direct routes could increase profits for traditional industries: courier.
- South Asia’s trade potential blocked by politics, Hussain says.
ISLAMABAD: Bangladesh High Commissioner to Pakistan Iqbal Hussain Khan has confirmed that Biman Bangladesh Airlines is preparing to start three weekly flights to Karachi.
He made these remarks while speaking to The news on the sidelines of his speech at the Foreign Affairs Academy on Wednesday. The academy has recently introduced a new lecture series with foreign envoys, giving young Pakistani diplomats-in-training a chance to engage 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 over Indian airspace, he said that just as Indian aircraft can use Bangladesh’s airspace, Biman flights will also fly over India.
Sources indicate that due to India’s ongoing airspace restrictions on Pakistan, there is currently no immediate prospect of Pakistani carriers being able to fly 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 great potential for trade, connectivity and cooperation, but limited access, border restrictions and regional politics continue to hinder economic growth. He said platforms like the Foreign Services Academy’s new lecture series allow constructive dialogue with young diplomats who represent the region’s future.
He said that Pakistan and Bangladesh can significantly expand bilateral trade, but access restrictions remain the biggest barrier. He noted that earlier rail links facilitated trade between the two countries, but today Pakistan’s dates reach regional markets via Dubai.
Direct access, he said, would increase profits and increase farmers’ incomes. Referring to the centuries-old pashmina industry in Kashmir, he noted that traditional sectors like dates and pashmina could multiply trade volume if given direct market routes.
High Commissioner Khan said weak geographic connectivity is South Asia’s most serious obstacle to progress, even though ancient trade routes once linked Kabul, Peshawar, Dhaka and Myanmar.
No country, he stressed, can make progress in isolation, and regional cooperation is the only practical way forward. Referring to BIMSTEC, he called it an important regional group including India, Thailand and Bangladesh, but said border restrictions and the behavior of major powers often undermine regional trust.
He said that colonial mindsets, ideological dominance and tendencies towards regional supremacy hinder the effectiveness of regional organizations. Around the world, he said, countries experiencing internal inequalities often create external distractions, especially during election periods, to consolidate 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 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 emphasized that the younger generation in South Asia is more aware, ambitious and eager for change. Political changes in Bangladesh in 2024, he said, have revived optimism among youth.
“As young leadership emerges, new paths to economic progress will open and older barriers can be dismantled. Despite artificial restrictions, people across the region want to come closer, and over time, democratic processes will be strengthened and better governance will emerge.”
Concluding his remarks, he expressed hope that a new era of regional trade, connectivity and common development can take shape if South Asian nations prioritize collective progress and put cooperation at the center of policy-making.
