First Sylhet-Madina direct flight takes off Wednesday

The Sylhet-Madina direct flight is scheduled to begin on Wednesday, marking a significant milestone.

A total of 268 passengers would travel from MAG Osmani International Airport to Madina on the maiden flight.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ flight BG-237 would depart with these passengers at 5pm, and this service will be available every Wednesday.

Previously, the Sylhet-Jeddah direct flight was inaugurated on October 24, 2022.

Mohammad Badshah Fahad, the district manager of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, said that this new flight is being introduced to address the challenges faced by Hajj and Umrah passengers and expatriates traveling to Saudi Arabia.

Fahad also mentioned that Biman currently operates a direct flight from Sylhet to Jeddah every Monday, and another flight connecting to Jeddah will commence from Thursday. With this, Biman will operate two weekly flights from Sylhet to Jeddah and one to Madina.

Hafiz Ahmed, the director of Osmani Airport, highlighted that a majority of passengers on the direct Sylhet-Madina flight will be heading to perform the holy Hajj and Umrah. The Osmani Airport Authority is prepared to offer dedicated services to these passengers.

He urged all international flight passengers to arrive at the airport at least one and a half hours before departure to complete boarding passes and other formalities.

Khandaker Sipar Ahmad, former director of FBCCI and owner of Shiper Air Service, expressed that direct flights to Madina in Saudi Arabia hold significant religious sentiments. He believes that the commencement of these flights will significantly reduce the suffering of passengers in the Sylhet region.

Zahirul Kabir Chowdhury Shiru, president of Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) Sylhet Chapter, called for direct flights not only from Sylhet to Jeddah and Madina but also from Jeddah and Madina to Sylhet.

He emphasized that this initiative will alleviate passenger suffering, making this route a more lucrative sector for flight operations.

Ziaur Rahman Khan Rezwan, president of the Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) Sylhet Chapter, lauded the decision to introduce direct flights from Sylhet to Madina, considering it a timely and beneficial decision.

Osmani International Airport currently operates direct flights on eight routes, including London’s Heathrow and Manchester, Saudi Arabia’s Jeddah and Medina, United Arab Emirates’ Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, and Qatar’s Doha.