Visiting home just got easier for Bangladeshi expatriates, as a new initiative slashes one-way Saudi-Bangladesh airfares to a wallet-friendly Tk 20,500.

Commerce Adviser Sk Bashiruddin, who is also Adviser to the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, said a total of 80,000 tickets will be sold under this scheme covering both Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.

While the initiative benefits expatriates, he said, it will also bring significant revenue to the state-owned Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

He explained that previously, one-way empty flights were operated during Hajj flights, but this arrangement will utilize them effectively, potentially generating over 10 crore taka in additional revenue for the airline.

Under this scheme, one-way fares for Madina–Dhaka and Jeddah–Dhaka routes are fixed at Tk 20,500, while return tickets on Madina–Dhaka–Madina and Jeddah–Dhaka–Jeddah routes are set at Tk 42,000.

The special fares will be valid for arrivals in Bangladesh from April 18 to May 25, 2026, and for departures from Bangladesh from May 30 to June 30, 2026.

Chief Adviser Prof Muhammad Yunus praised Sk Bashiruddin for the initiative, calling it a milestone in implementing expatriate-friendly policies.

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He said such practical steps will improve expatriates’ lives and contribute to the national economy.

He reminded that previous efforts had stumbled from poor management and urged full implementation of this programme to secure its success.