Aviation minister to unveil Dhaka-Narita flight restart plan

Dhaka: The government is set to formally announce the resumption of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' direct flights on the Dhaka-Narita-Dhaka route, nearly a year after the service was suspended due to operational and commercial challenges.

According to a press invitation issued by the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam and State Minister M. Rashiduzzaman Millat will brief the media on the relaunch of the route at a press conference scheduled for 12:00 pm on June 15 at the conference room of the Department of Information in the Bangladesh Secretariat.

The press briefing's agenda specifically mentions the "resumption of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' Dhaka-Narita-Dhaka flights," indicating that the national flag carrier is preparing to restart direct air connectivity between Bangladesh and Japan.

Biman suspended its direct Dhaka-Narita service effective from 1 July 2025. At the time, the airline cited operational constraints arising from Hajj operations, a shortage of aircraft, and prevailing commercial considerations.

The route had previously been relaunched on 1 September 2023 as part of efforts to strengthen air connectivity between Bangladesh and Japan and turn the service into a commercially viable operation.

Before that, Biman had discontinued its Dhaka-Tokyo operations in 2006 due to a lack of sufficient aircraft and poor commercial performance, according to aviation industry stakeholders.

The expected resumption of flights comes amid growing economic, trade, and people-to-people ties between Bangladesh and Japan. Aviation experts have long argued that direct connectivity is essential to support the increasing movement of business travelers, expatriates, students, and tourists between the two countries.

Details regarding the flight schedule, frequency, and commencement date are expected to be disclosed during Monday's press conference.