BD cargo flights linking overseas nations go up, prompting air deals

Cargo flight operations from Bangladesh increased significantly in the recent years, leading to the country's signing of bilateral air agreements with at least seven European and Asian destinations alone in 2013, sources said.
Last year, Bangladesh signed air agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) with Luxemburg, Azerbaijan, Iceland, Yemen, Hong Kong, United Kingdom and Turkey to operate an increased number of flights, they added.
Besides, signing bilateral agreements with Iraq and Italy and launch of air service with Uzbekistan are also under process.
Chairman of Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) Mahmud Hussain told the FE that demands for Bangladeshi vegetables and ready-made garments in the European markets have been mounting significantly in the recent times. It has resulted in the increased number of daily cargo flight operations, he added.
He said many of the local and foreign airlines had found carrying cargoes from Dhaka to be most profitable. That's why they were looking for frequent flight operations from Bangladesh.
"We sign air deals based on requirement of airlines. Statistics shows that cargo flight operations from Bangladesh have increased significantly," Mr Hussain said.
He also said the country's import through airways had also increased in the recent years.
On December 11, 2013, Bangladesh and Azerbaijan signed a bilateral air agreement and MoU, under which nominated airlines of the two nations would be able to operate 21 passenger/cargo flights a week.
Bangladesh signed an air deal and MoU with Luxemburg on December 10, 2010.  According to the deal, nominated airlines of the two countries will be able to operate three passenger flights and seven cargo flights every week.
The CAAB chairman said the deal with Luxemburg had mainly been signed as demand for Bangladesh vegetables in European countries had increased.
Under the MoU signed on December 11, 2013, airlines of Bangladesh and Hong Kong will operate 21 passenger flights and three cargo flights every week.   
On December 12 last year, officials of Bangladesh and United Kingdom sat at a review meeting, in which a MoU was signed under which Bangladeshi airlines would be able to operate flights on Manchester-New York route.
In another development on December 10, 2013, Bangladesh and Turkey reviewed their bilateral air agreement and signed a MoU. The two nations incorporated Kuwait and New Delhi as 'intermediate points' in the deal for bilateral cargo flight operations.   
The CAAB chairman said there was a prospect of sending a huge number of manpower to Iraq in the coming years. Bangladesh was going to review the bilateral air deal with Iraq, so that an increased number of flights could be operated when needed, he added.
Sources said Uzbekistan Airways was interested to operate flights between Dhaka and Tashkent. The two nations signed a bilateral air deal but could not start flight operations until now. The CAAB chairman at a recent meeting said necessary cooperation would be extended if Uzbekistan Airways expressed interest to operate cargo flights.
The authorities said Bangladesh and Italy would review their air deal in mid-March aiming to an increase in the number of flight operations. The meeting would discuss, among others, designating more than one airline by the two countries for raising frequency of flights.
Officials said air shipment of goods had increased manifold during the recent political turmoil in Bangladesh, which had disrupted road communication with the port. Exporters had shipped their products by air to reduce loss or avoid order cancellation due to delay.
According to president of Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) Atiqul Islam, RMG exporters spent US$ 0.9 million as air shipment cost during the last political turmoil.
President of the Exporters Association of Bangladesh Abdus Salam Murshedy said goods worth Tk 50 billion had been air-shipped during the September-December period last year.
He said unless the political situation became stable, exporters would have to spend huge amount of money for air-shipment of goods to keep their buyers happy.