File photo
Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Saturday (Dec 16) spread its wings to south Indian city Chennai especially to facilitate Bangladeshi medical service seekers coinciding with Bangladesh's 53rd Victory Day. The inaugural flight operated by Boeing 737 carrying 161 passengers took off from Dhaka's Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) at 12.50 p.m. (local time) and is scheduled to reach Chennai International Airport in India at 3:20 p.m. (local time), local media reported.
Initially, Biman will operate weekly three flights on this route on Monday, Thursday, and Saturday with departure from Dhaka at 12:50 pm (local time) and arrival at Chennai at 3:20 pm (local time) and return flight Departure from Chennai at 4:15 p.m. (local time) and arrival at Dhaka at 7:30 p.m. (local time).
State Minister for civil aviation and tourism M Mahbub Ali inaugurated the inaugural flight of the national flag carrier virtually as the chief while Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma was present at the opening ceremony at the HSIA.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim gave the welcome speech at the inaugural ceremony that was also addressed by Biman Bangladesh Board of Directors' Chairman Mostofa Kamal Uddin, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md Mokammel Hossain and HSIA's Executive Director Captain M Kamrul Islam.
Biman became the second airline after the country's private carrier US Bangla airlines to establish direct flights on Dhaka-Chennai-Dhaka route.
