Bangladeshi expatriate workers get lower fares on Biman flights: Minister Afroza

The government has taken a range of measures through Biman Bangladesh Airlines to make travel more affordable and convenient for expatriate Bangladeshi remittance earners, particularly workers employed in labour-intensive sectors abroad, said Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam.

Responding to a question from Shahadat Hossain MP in the parliament today, the minister said the government had introduced special tickets, known as “T-Class”, on several routes to Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman and Malaysia through Biman.

The question-and-answer session was tabled by Speaker Hafiz Uddin Ahmad.

According to Biman sources, T-Class refers to a highly specific super saver economy class fare.

In her scripted reply, the minister said fares on the Dhaka-Jeddah route had been reduced from Tk 62,000 to Tk 48,000, while fares on the Dhaka-Riyadh and Dhaka-Dammam routes had also been lowered from Tk 62,000 to Tk 48,000.

Fares on the Dhaka-Doha route have been reduced from Tk 53,000 to Tk 48,000, while those on the Dhaka-Muscat route have fallen from Tk 53,000 to Tk 46,000. On the Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route, fares have been reduced from Tk 39,000 to Tk 30,000.

As a result, ordinary passengers, including workers, are being given the opportunity to travel internationally at affordable fares, she said.

The minister said the initiative would enable Bangladeshi workers to return home at lower cost and celebrate festivals, including Eid, with their families and relatives.

She said the programme had been introduced in consideration of the financial capacity of many workers employed in the Middle East. While expatriate workers benefit from the lower fares, Biman Bangladesh Airlines is also generating revenue through the utilisation of otherwise empty flights.

Afroza said another government initiative involved offering special affordable fares for expatriate workers on empty flights returning from Jeddah and Medina during the Hajj season.

Under the programme, ticket prices have been fixed at Tk 20,000, compared with an average fare of Tk 50,000 to Tk 55,000 previously charged on the same routes.

The minister also said ticket refunds, free reissues and date-change facilities had been provided for passengers affected by the ongoing situation in the Middle East.

At the same time, arrangements have been made to issue tickets on a priority basis after flights resume, helping to safeguard passenger interests and services during the crisis, she added.

The minister further noted that, under government directives, special flights had been operated to repatriate Bangladeshi citizens currently in Iran.

"Through this, it has been possible to bring them back home safely," she added.