Direct Bangladesh-Pakistan flights to resume after 14 years

Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh and Pakistan are to resume direct flights after more than a decade, Dhaka s national airline said on Thursday, as ties w...

Dhaka, Bangladesh: Bangladesh and Pakistan are to resume direct flights after more than a decade, Dhaka's national airline said on Thursday, as ties warm and regional power balances shift.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is scheduled to fly its first Dhaka-Karachi flight on January 29 and will be operated twice weekly, the first regular flights since 2012.

"We are relaunching the Dhaka-Karachi route with two weekly flights," airline manager Bosra Islam told AFP on Thursday.

Bangladesh and Pakistan -- geographically divided by more than 1,500 kilometres (930 miles) by India -- were once one nation.

"The resumption of direct flights will significantly improve connectivity between Bangladesh and Pakistan, supporting business travel, tourism, and family reunions," Biman Bangladesh Airlines said in a statement.