Switzerland keen to set up direct air links with BD

Switzerland has shown its interest in establishing direct air links with Bangladesh.

Swiss Ambassador to Bangladesh Reto Renggli expressed the interest during a meeting with Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Muhammad Faruk Khan at his secretariat office in the capital on Thursday.

Welcoming Switzerland's interest, the minister said, "We hope that an air service agreement between Bangladesh and Switzerland will be signed within next two months. Then we will consider direct flights between the two countries."

Faruk Khan also said, "We're trying to transform Bangladesh into an aviation hub taking the advantage of our country's position that is located on the international aviation routes. The development work on aviation infrastructures in all the airports of the country, including the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) and the runway extension project of Cox's Bazar airport, are going on."

"We expect the number of existing passengers and cargoes of the airlines would be double within few years after the launch of the third terminal in next October."

Reto Renggli said, "It was a great pleasure for us to work with the Bangladesh team on the air service agreement. Bangladesh team has shown admirable skill in negotiation. The Civil Aviation Authority of Switzerland thanked them for their expertise and cooperation."

The Swiss ambassador further said, "Bangladesh has seen unprecedented economic development in the last 15 years. We hope that the ongoing work on transforming Bangladesh into an aviation hub will be implemented soon. We will talk to investors from Switzerland to invest in the tourism industry of Bangladesh."

"We'll take an initiative so that a fact finding mission visits Bangladesh for investment here. We'll also send the master plan taken for the development of the tourism industry in Bangladesh to the investors from Switzerland."

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