The national flag carrier of Bangladesh has announced its return to Manchester Airport, with a new service to Sylhet and Dhaka set to start in the new year.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines will fly three times a week from the airport to the Bangladeshi capital and Sylhet.

The news was announced at a special event at the British high commission in Dhaka, attended Manchester Airport chief executive, Andrew Cowan, and Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, who is leading a ten-day delegation to Bangladesh and India.

Biman will use a Boeing 787 Dreamliner on the route, which will start on January 4th.

The service will operate via the eastern Bangladeshi city of Sylhet on its return from Manchester.

It is a boost to the many Bangladeshi communities within Manchester Airport’s catchment, as well as being tipped to deliver wide ranging trade and tourism benefits.

There are more than 55,000 people a year who currently travel from Manchester Airport’s catchment to Dhaka and Sylhet, with around 600,000 people travelling to destinations in Biman’s onward network.

Speaking from Dhaka, Cowan said: “We have known for some time there is significant demand for a direct service to Bangladesh and so we are delighted to be confirming this news today.

“Manchester Airport is the UK’s gateway to the north of England and within our catchment area there are many long-standing Bangladeshi communities for whom this will make a massive difference.

“We know there are many northern companies with a desire to trade in Bangladesh, while we also look forward to welcoming business and leisure visitors from that part of the world.

“This long-haul route is the latest we have added to Manchester in recent years, as we continue to work hard to connect the north to key international destinations.”

The announcement marks a return to Manchester for Biman, which operated a Dhaka-Manchester-New York service until 2012.

The flight will operate on Saturday, Sunday and Tuesday taking ten hours.

The 787 Dreamliner will have 24 seats in business class and 247 in economy.

More Information

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is the national flag carrier airline of Bangladesh. Its main hub is at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and it also operates flights from its secondary hubs Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.

The airline provides international passenger and cargo services to Asia and Europe, as well as major domestic routes inside Bangladesh.