Bangladesh and the US on Wednesday signed an agreement for flight operations between the two countries.
Senior secretary of Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary M Mohibul Haque and US Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R Miller signed the agreement on behalf of their respective countries at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka on Wednesday.
With this Open Skies Agreement, all airlines of Bangladesh and the US will be able to operate direct passenger and cargo flights between the two countries.
Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism's Public Relations Officer Tanvir Ahmed confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.
Bangladesh had been denied the opportunity to operate flights to the US in the past as airports in Bangladesh are classed as B-category.
However, after the agreement was signed, the US authorities showed interest to carry out virtual inspections and audits of Bangladesh's airports, especially Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
During this period, Bangladesh will work for the development of necessary infrastructure and manpower reform, including airport security activities.
Earlier in 2013, the government initiated an air transport agreement with the US, but it never got past the draft stage.
