United News of Bangladesh

Flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka have been suspended after a fire broke out in the airport’s cargo section on Saturday afternoon. According to airport sources, all take-offs and landings have remained halted since the blaze erupted around 2:30 pm in the cargo area. Md Masudul Hasan Masud, spokesperson for the airport’s executive director, said the fire originated in a section adjacent to the main cargo area. Fire breaks out at Dhaka airport’s cargo section; 20 units battling blaze   He said the army and air force have joined the Fire Service in the ongoing firefighting efforts. Masud also mentioned that the affected section is used for storing imported goods. The Fire Service and Civil Defence said 37 units are currently working to bring the blaze under control, while 12 additional units are on their way to the spot.

At least four inbound flights to Dhaka were diverted to Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram on Friday afternoon due to adverse weather conditions in the capital. According to the airport security division, the affected flights included both international and domestic routes. Turkish Airlines flight makes emergency landing at Dhaka airport Air Arabia flight 514, an Airbus A321 operating on the Sharjah–Dhaka route, was diverted and landed in Chattogram at 4:33 pm. Air Astra flight 446 from Cox’s Bazar to Dhaka also landed in Chattogram at 4:32 pm.US-Bangla Airlines flight BS164, an ATR-72 aircraft on the Rajshahi–Dhaka route, was diverted and landed at 4:47 pm. Another US-Bangla flight, BS188, also an ATR-72 operating on the Saidpur–Dhaka route, landed in Chattogram at 5:15 pm after diversion.

Thousands of air travelers faced delays on Monday after Britain's air traffic control system was hit by a breakdown that slowed takeoffs and landings across the U.K. Flight control operator National Air Traffic Services said it was experiencing an unexplained "technical issue" that could delay flights on Monday, the end of a holiday weekend and one of the busiest travel days of the year. Also read : After Narita (Tokyo), Biman eyeing flights to New York, Chennai, Los Angeles, Rome The service said it had "applied traffic flow restrictions to maintain safety" and that engineers were working to find and fix the fault. It said U.K. airspace remained open. It did not give an estimate of how long it would take to fix the problem, or what had caused it, but European air traffic authority Eurocontrol warned of "very high" delays because of a "flight data processing system failure" in the U.K. Scottish airline Loganair said there had been "a network-wide failure of U.K. air traffic control computer systems." "Although we are hopeful of being able to operate most intra-Scotland flights on the basis of local coordination and with a minimum of disruption, north-south and international flights may be subject to delays," it said. Also read : New DCTS scheme can create stronger trade, investment partnership with UK: BGMEA President Airports both inside and outside the U.K. told passengers to expect delays and cancellations. Heathrow, Europe's busiest air hub, said "national airspace issues" were causing disruption to flights, and advised passengers to check with their airline. Dublin Airport said in a statement that air traffic control issues were resulting in delays and cancellations to some flights into and out of Dublin. "We advise all passengers due to travel today to check the status of their flight with their airline in advance of travelling," it said. British Airways said it was "working closely with NATS to understand the impact of a technical issue that is affecting U.K. airspace, and will keep our customers up to date with the latest information." Also read : UK political watchdog says Prime Minister Rishi Sunak ‘inadvertently’ broke ethics rules Aviation analyst Alastair Rosenschein, a former BA pilot, said the air traffic system appeared to have suffered "some kind of patchy failure as opposed to a total shutdown." He told Sky News that "the disruption will be quite severe at some airports" and some U.K.-bound flights will likely have to land in other European countries in order to reduce the flow of inbound planes.

An upward trend in imports once again amid calls for austerity from the highest levels of Bangladesh government has raised concern among economists as to whether truly effective steps are being taken to check trade-based capital flight, particularly through the practise of over-invoicing by the country’s importers. The government has been looking to shore up its dwindling reserves of foreign exchange by cutting down imports of non-essential and luxury items, as well as tightening the process for issuing LCs by banks on behalf of importers, during which over-invoicing occurs. Both Bangladesh Bank and the government took a number of measures to curb import payments, which hit a record high of $82.5 billion in FY22, that ended last June 30. The central bank has asked banks to impose a 100 percent margin on the opening of LCs for non-essential items, meaning that importers have to make a full import payment in advance. Read: Bangladesh Bank raises dollar exchange rate by Tk 1 to Tk 100 The results were mixed, with only a slight cooling down in imports noticeable in the first quarter of the current fiscal (July to September 2022), clocking $19.3 billion. With exports too slowing somewhat to $10.8 billion in the same period, the country’s trade deficit had already ballooned to $7.5 billion in the first three months of the year - sustaining the pressure on the reserves. Subsequent data from the Export Promotion Bureau have shown that exports bounced back strongly in the second quarter, breaking records in November and December. But now import data, which from Bangladesh Bank tends to be a month behind the export numbers from EPB, has shown that imports too have kept performing robustly.  After continuing to hover above the $6 billion mark in October, the country’s imports crossed the $7 billion mark once again in November 2022, clocking $7.03 billion, up 14.2 percent from the previous month. Read: Exporters to get slightly higher rate of Tk 102 for one US dollar Acknowledging the need for austerity to check superficial spending, economist and former caretaker government advisor Dr. A.B.M Mirza Azizul Islam was keen not to see rising imports as a negative per se, since it also signals strong demand in the economy and the people’s purchasing power. Consumption can be a driver of growth.   "This is a good aspect of increasing imports. It is natural that imports will increase when the economy grows. Imports will increase, investment in the country will increase. The economy will move forward,” he told UNB. “The problem is our imports had increased abnormally. It came down in various steps. Now there is an increasing trend again. But our reserves are dwindling. In this situation, there will be more pressure on reserves,” he said. Read: Remittance: Bangladesh Bank tells banks to provide Tk 107 per dollar So the government has to stay on the path of austerity, it should continue for some more time. After getting loans from the IMF, World Bank and ADB, things can be thought of differently, Mirza Aziz said. Former governor of the central bank, Dr Salehuddin Ahmed, opined much the same, encouraging increased domestic resource mobilisation while following the path of austerity. He also suggested strongly to verify the LCs against goods arriving via containers to stop trade-based money laundering, the real menace that needs to be targeted. Read More: Bangladesh reassures Chinese FM of one-China policy, seeks better trade relations As the global economy started to normalise in the post-pandemic period, Bangladesh witnessed galloping import demand outshine record exports in the 2021-22 fiscal. The $82.5 billion import figure was itself a record, up 36 percent year-on-year and leading to a record trade deficit as well. The country’s forex reserves, which peaked at $48.1 billion in August 2021, will soon have halved since then. At the end of the last trading week on Thursday (Jan. 5), the reserves stood at $33.6 billion, including encumbered reserves. The unencumbered reserves figure would be $24.5 billion, following the next payment to the Asian Clearing Union, $1.12 billion for the November-December period, due this week. Read More: UK to strengthen trade, investment, digital economy ties with Bangladesh: Indo-Pacific Minister

A private airplane crashed into the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida coast Saturday night, with two people confirmed dead as authorities searched for a third person believed to have been on the flight, police said. Authorities in Venice, Florida, initiated a search Sunday after 10 a.m. following a Federal Aviation Administration inquiry to the Venice Municipal Airport about an overdue single-engine Piper Cherokee that had not returned to its origin airport in St. Petersburg, Florida. Read more: Plane hits vehicle on runway, catches fire at Lima’s airport Around the same time, recreational boaters found the body of a woman floating about 2.5 miles (4 kilometers) west of the Venice shore, city of Venice spokesperson Lorraine Anderson said in a statement. Divers from the Sarasota County Sheriff’s Office located the wreckage of the rented airplane around 2 p.m. about a third of a mile offshore, directly west of the Venice airport, Anderson said. Rescuers found a deceased girl in the plane’s passenger area. A third person, believed to be a male who was the pilot or a passenger, remained missing Sunday, Anderson said. Read more: Small plane crashes into Tanzania's Lake Victoria, 19 dead The county sheriff’s office, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Sarasota Police Department, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and the District 12 Medical Examiner’s Office and the National Transportation Safety Board were involved in the investigation, Anderson said.

NOVOAIR has launched its direct flight on Jashore to Cox's Bazar route on Wednesday. Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, inaugurated the flight operation at the Jashore airport. Read more: NOVOAIR to operate Jashore-Cox’s Bazar direct flights from Nov 30 Mofizur Rahman, managing director of the  NOVOAIR, Reazul Islam Masoud, manager of Jashore airport, high officials of government, travel agencies and others organizations were present at the inaugural ceremony. Departing from Jashore at 11:45am every Wednesday the flight will land in Cox's Bazar at 12:55pm on the same day. Similarly, leaving from Cox's Bazar at 9:55am every Saturday it will arrive in Jashore at 11am. The private airline service provider said one-way fare would start from Tk 5,900. The NOVOAIR authority informed that they have been providing an offer of free hotel service for three nights for tourists in Cox's Bazar. To avail it, passengers will have to purchase return couple tickets from Jashore to Cox's Bazar to Jashore. Read more: Novoair's Rajshahi-Cox's Bazar flight starts This offer includes return tickets for a couple and a free hotel stay for three nights. NOVOAIR offered the free room hotels in Cox’s Bazar are Seagull Hotel, Long Beach Hotel, Neeshorgo Hotel & Resort, Windy Terrace Hotel, Grace Cox Smart Hotel, and Hotel Sea Palace. The NOVOAIR is currently operating daily flights from Dhaka to Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Saidpur, Jashore, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Kolkata.

Private carrier Novoair has started operating flight on the Rajshahi-Cox's Bazar route. Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman inaugurated the flight Thursday at Shah Makhdum Airport. Novoair Managing Director Mofizur Rahman and Rajshahi Chamber of Commerce and Industry President Masudur Rahman were also present. The direct flights will leave Rajshahi every Thursday at 10:30am and will arrive in Cox's Bazar at 12pm. Also, they will depart Cox's Bazar every Sunday at 3:35pm and will arrive in Rajshahi at 5:05pm, according to a media statement. Read more: Novoair listed as world’s safe airline One-way fare starts from Tk5,900, it added. Novoair now operates daily flights from Dhaka to Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Saidpur, Jashore, Sylhet, Rajshahi and Kolkata.

Vietnamese budget airline VietJet Air plans to start direct flights between Vietnam and Bangladesh on the Hanoi-Dhaka route from December 2022. Initially, the operation will start with chartered flights, but there is a plan to start regular flights in phases based on passenger demand, said Taslim Amin Shovon, director and CEO of InnoGlobe Travel and Tours Limited, the Bangladeshi partner of Victoria Tour, at an event in the capital on Monday (October 24, 2022). Besides, Vietnam's tour operator company Victoria Tour has also announced various travel packages, including visa processing, at an affordable cost for Bangladeshi tourists. Read 5 Sundarbans eco resorts to experience world’s largest mangrove forest "It takes a lot of time and money to travel from Bangladesh to Vietnam as the flights go via a third country. If direct flights are launched, it will be economical in all aspects," he added. He said If the direct flight starts, it will serve as a bridge between the people of the two countries as well as help expand the trade between Bangladesh and Vietnam. Victoria Tour MD Nong Van Chien Victor was present as special guest at the event. Read: Host cities for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Australia 2022 "If direct communication is established by air, the relationship between the people of these two friendly countries will be further enhanced," Nong Van Chien said. Among others, Bangladesh Tourism Board member and former president of TOAB Md Rafeuzzam, ATAB secretary general Abdus salam Aref, Saimon group MD and ATAB vice-president Afsia Jannat Saleh were present at the event.

Emirates has revealed a new custom A380 livery dedicated to Dubai’s newest architectural icon and centre for pioneering concepts and ideas, the Museum of the Future. “The first Emirates A380 to sport this exciting new livery took flight on May 5 to Los Angeles”, said an Emirates release. As its nine other aircraft siblings roll out of the dedicated Aircraft Appearance Centre at Emirates Engineering  over the coming weeks, Emirates’ Museum of the Future A380s will be deployed on routes to Europe as well as key Arab regional cities, it added. Also read: Emirates celebrates 35 years of operations in Bangladesh This initiative underscores the airline’s unwavering commitment to support Dubai’s vision as the leading city of the future, a hub for innovation and testbed for emerging technologies. It also crystallises the UAE’s 50 years of development and progress. The seven storey, pillarless, torus-shaped Museum of the Future, dubbed as the ‘world’s most beautiful building’, has become one of Dubai’s definitive design marvels, and aims to inspire the world to imagine the possibilities of tomorrow, featuring mesmerising installations and futuristic experiences. The building’s ring forms a void to represent unknown and undiscovered knowledge.  The Museum will also act as an incubator for scientists, thinkers and researchers to bring their bold ideas and visions of the future to life, especially across areas like sustainability, outer space, health, and other critical global challenges. Also read: Emirates restarts services to KSA, St. Petersburg It will also be a platform to trial and demonstrate the latest technological discoveries, with prototypes that will continually evolve from emerging start-ups and established technology enterprises. The ring shaped, Arabic calligraphy encapsulated building encircles both sides of the aircraft, and features the message ‘Journey to the future’ across the fuselage, covering a total of 336 sqm on the A380. The façade is decorated with quotes from Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum. The airline will produce 10 A380 liveries in total, which will fly across close to 30 destinations around the world in the coming year, carrying the museum’s message of creating a better future, now, said the Emirates.

The much-awaited direct commercial flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Dhaka-Toronto route was launched on Saturday on experimental basis, marking the Independence Day.  State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mahbub Ali inaugurated the flight at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on Saturday night, said a press release of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. Dhaka-Toronto direct flight was a long-standing demand of Bangladeshi expatriates living in Canada, said Mahbub. The national carrier used one of its Boeing 787-9 Dreamliners on the Dhaka- Toronto route. READ: Biman hopes to launch regular Dhaka-Toronto commercial flights from June He also expected to operate the flight  three days in a week from June. Representatives from Canadian High Commission in Dhaka Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury, chairman of parliamentary standing committee on the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry and Managing Director of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal were present there.