Biman launches Chattogram-Dubai flights

Dhaka : Biman Bangladesh Airlines is operating regular flights on Chattogram-Dubai route from January 11. The flag carrier also operated a special flight on Dhaka-Chattogram-Dubai route on January 9. 
The decision to operate flights to Dubai from Chattogram follows the set-up of a PCR test lab at the port-city's airport by the government amid the pandemic.
The special flight on January 9 took off at 10:15 am from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital and landed at Shah Amanat Airport in Chattogram at 11 am, en route to Dubai.
For regular flights on Chattogram-Dubai route from January 11, passengers are requested to follow the Dubai travel advisory and arrive at the airport 8 hours prior to their flight.
Biman's maximum one-way fare for economy class on Chattogram-Dubai route is BDT 65,329, including tax while the minimum one-way fare for business class is BDT 86,536, including tax.
Passengers can buy tickets from any sales office of Biman, its head office Balaka Bhaban and travel agents but not from Biman’s own website as it remains closed for months following a dispute between the airline and the service provider over payment concerns.  
Cuts fares on Middle Eastern routes
Biman Bangladesh Airlines on January 4 announced to cut ticket prices on different routes to Middle East effective from January 16. The airfares on different routes were slashed from BDT 7,000 to BDT 13,000. 
Biman officials said, according to reports, the slashed airfare would be applicable for flights to Jeddah, Riyadh, Dammam, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, and it will continue as always.
The national flag carrier mentioned the one-way maximum fare for each economy class ticket on the Dhaka-Jeddah route has been reduced from BDT 72,455 to BDT 64,820 inclusive of tax.
The maximum one-way economy class fares on the Dhaka-Riyadh or Dammam routes have been reduced from BDT 70,758 to BDT 63,123.
For the Dhaka-Dubai route, the maximum one-way economy class fare has been reduced from BDT 75,508 to BDT 62,784 while the maximum one-way economy class fare on the Dhaka-Abu Dhabi route has been reduced from BDT 67,025 to BDT 58,542.
However, passengers, especially the expatriate workers, would not be able to avail this benefit at the moment as Biman has no ticket available until March, reports said. 
On the other hand, Recruiting Agency Welfare Organisation of Bangladesh claimed that the slashed amount is nominal while the airfare for Biman still remained very high. 
For comparison, airfare on Colombo-Riyadh route is BDT 38,000, while airfare on Mumbai-Riyadh route is around BDT 32,000.