Bangladesh seeks more flights, tourism investment from Türkiye

Bangladesh has sought more direct flights to Türkiye and greater Turkish investment in its tourism sector as the two countries look to strengthen cooperation in aviation and tourism.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat made the call during a meeting with a Turkish delegation led by Turkish Ambassador to Bangladesh Ramis Sen at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Wednesday.
The delegation included Bilal Belyurt, commercial counsellor at the Turkish Embassy, and Islam Gure, country director of Turkish Airlines Bangladesh.
Millat welcomed Türkiye’s interest in operating three additional flights on the Dhaka-Istanbul route. Turkish Airlines currently operates seven flights a week on the route.
He said opportunities for additional flights would expand after the opening of the Third Terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
The minister also called for direct air connectivity between Türkiye and Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet to facilitate international travel for people in different parts of Bangladesh.
A large number of Bangladeshis living abroad, particularly those from the Sylhet and Chattogram regions, have demand for international travel, he said, adding that additional flights from the two airports would make travel easier for people in both countries.
Millat also invited Turkish investors to invest in Bangladesh’s tourism sector.

He said the government had taken an initiative to develop 1,498 tourism spots under public-private partnerships (PPP), with foreign investors being encouraged to invest in infrastructure development, management and service improvement at the destinations.
Türkiye’s experience in tourism development, hospitality and related sectors could contribute to the development of Bangladesh’s tourism industry, he said.
Visa facilitation for Bangladeshi citizens was also discussed at the meeting.
Millat said easier visa facilities were important for increasing people-to-people contact, business, tourism and broader cooperation between the two countries.
“The more people-to-people contact increases, the deeper and more multifaceted the relationship between the two countries will become,” he said, according to the press release.
He called on Bangladesh and Türkiye to take effective measures to simplify visa facilities.
Both sides expressed interest in strengthening cooperation in aviation, tourism, investment and people-to-people connectivity, according to the release.
Millat said the government was committed to further strengthening the longstanding friendly relations between Bangladesh and Türkiye and expressed hope that expanded cooperation in aviation and tourism would benefit people in both countries.

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