Citing shortages in its fleet of aircraft, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the most popular international carrier in Bangladesh has suspended direct flights to London, Heathrow.
It is important to note that the Dhaka to London route was reinstituted only last year after a disruption of some 12 years. Nevertheless, this move restricts international thoroughfare at a time when the country can ill-afford it. Indeed, this news comes on top of the fact that in 2006, citing the same concerns Biman suspended flights to New York, JFK and failed to rejigger its finances and assets to restart the route.
This can’t have come as good news to the masses of people who depend on Biman to transport them to and from London, quickly and calmly. A massive cross-cultural conduit has just been shutdown and though there exist indirect routes, there is sure to be a categorically different flavor to the social relations between Bangladeshis and their most important international neighbors.
Still, Biman reports that it is working to get both the Dhaka-New York and Dhaka-London flights up and running again. Though tentative deadlines have been thrown about–deadlines that are sure to pass– one can only hope these flights get going soon.
