Govt aims to make Bangladesh regional aviation hub

The government is working to establish Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub connecting South Asia with other parts of the world, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam said on Monday.

She made the remarks as the chief guest at an event titled "Saudia and HSBC: Powering Global Connectivity – Celebrating Saudia's Journey in Bangladesh" at Sheraton Dhaka in the capital's Banani area.

"Bangladesh is entering a new era in aviation. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, we are developing modern airport infrastructure, improving passenger services and expanding Bangladesh's air connectivity with the rest of the world," the minister said.

"Our goal is to establish Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub that will connect South Asia with the wider world. We sincerely welcome international airlines, financial institutions and strategic investors to join this journey," she added.

Praising Saudia's long-standing operations in Bangladesh, the minister said the Saudi flag carrier had been proudly serving the country for 46 years.

"Saudia has connected millions of passengers, facilitated international travel for migrant workers and ensured safe and reliable journeys for pilgrims travelling for Hajj and Umrah. In this way, Saudia has established itself not only as an airline but also as an important bridge of friendship between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia," she said.

The event was attended by Prime Minister's Special Assistant for Investment and Capital Market Affairs Tanvir Gani, Saudi Ambassador to Bangladesh Dr Abdullah ibn Dhafer ibn Ubayya, and senior officials from Saudia, HSBC Bank and various other organisations.

Speakers at the event stressed the need to further strengthen air connectivity, trade, investment, tourism and people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and Saudi Arabia.

They also discussed the aviation sector's role in expanding global connectivity and the prospects for future cooperation.