Foreign Affairs Adviser Md Touhid Hossain expressed optimism that the newly launched direct air connectivity between Bangladesh and Africa, established by Ethiopian Airlines, will support Bangladesh's ambitions to become a regional aviation hub.
"The direct air link between Bangladesh and Ethiopia will not only boost tourism, trade, and investment but also serve as a gateway to the wider African continent," Hossain said during the virtual opening ceremony of Ethiopian Airlines' operations at a Dhaka hotel on Sunday evening, reports UNB.
The airline's inaugural flight on the Addis Ababa-Dhaka-Addis Ababa route landed in Dhaka on Sunday morning, marking the commencement of direct flights between Bangladesh and Ethiopia.
Highlighting the strategic value of this route, Adviser Hossain noted its potential to strengthen socio-economic ties and create convenient travel options for Bangladeshi expatriates residing in Africa. He underscored that this direct link would deepen and enhance bilateral relations between the two countries.
The event featured Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Nasreen Jahan and Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), Air Vice Marshal Md Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan, as special guests. Ethiopian Civil Aviation Authority Director General Getachew Mengistie Alemayehu and Ethiopian Airlines Group Chief Commercial Officer Lemma Yadecha attended as guests of honor. Abhir Hossain, Deputy Managing Director of Rhythm Group, the airline's General Sales Agent in Bangladesh, delivered the welcome address.
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