The government will resume air-connectivity on Dhaka-Rajshahi-Dhaka route Tuesday (Jul 21) as the sixth domestic destination, following reopening of air travel to Chattogram, Sylhet, Saidpur, Jashore and Barishal after the flight suspension due to COVID-19 pandemic.
The Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) has taken the decision to resume the flight operation on Rajshahi route as the district civil surgeon office arranged necessary human resources and facilities at the airport there to monitor the health guidelines regarding hygiene and social distancing.
The country’s two private carrier – US-Bangla Airlines and Novoair – have taken preparation to resume their operation on Dhaka-Rajshahi-Dhaka route from Tuesday after nearly four months of flight suspension on this route.
Both the airlines have decided to operate two daily flights on the route while US-Bangla airline will depart at 10 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. and Novoair flight at 10:30 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. from Dhaka to Rajshahi everyday of the week, local media reported citing airline officials.
On Jun 1, the government first resumed the air connectivity on the three routes – Chattogram, Sylhet, Saidpur – out of its seven domestic destinations from and to the capital after more than two-month closure amid the COVID-19 pandemic while it reopened flight operation to Jashore and Barisal on Jun 11 and Jul 12 respectively.
The CAAB is yet to give permission to operate domestic flights to the last domestic route on Cox’s Bazar as airport in that destination was not prepared to follow CAAB’s prescribed health guideline.
The national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines kept suspending its flight operation on domestic routes due to lack of passengers after operating only one flight on the first day of flight resumption on Jun 1.
According to CAAB guideline, airlines are operating flight keeping at least 30 percent seats vacant on each flight to ensure social distancing by maintaining at least gap of a seat between two passengers if they are not from the same family.
