Dhaka-Vienna air connectivity draft agreement gets cabinet nod

The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of an air services agreement to be signed with Austria for direct flight operations between Dhaka and Vienna, reports UNB.

The approval came from the weekly Cabinet meeting held virtually with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The PM joined the meeting through a videoconference from her official residence Ganobhaban, while other cabinet members joined from the Secretariat.

"If the direct flight operation is introduced between Dhaka to Vienna, the trade, business and labour market as well as cooperation in industrial, health and defence sectors will be expanded between the two countries. Besides, the air communication with other European countries will be easier," Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said at a press briefing after the meeting.

There are headquarters of some international agencies in Vienna, Austria's capital. So, this air connectivity is important for Bangladesh, he said.

The agreement titled 'Air services agreement between the Austrian Federal Government and the government of the People's Republic of Bangladesh' has been framed following the standards of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the secretary said.

According to the proposed agreement, the number of passenger and cargo flights can be fixed through negotiation between the countries.