Dhaka-Vienna air connectivity draft agreement gets Cabinet nod

The Cabinet on Monday approved the draft of an air services agreement to be signed with Austria for direct flight operations between Dhaka and Vienna.

The approval came from the weekly Cabinet meeting held virtually with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair. The PM joined the meeting through a videoconference from her official residence Gono Bhaban, while other cabinet members joined from the Secretariat.

“If the direct flight operation is introduced between Dhaka to Vienna, trade, business and labour market as well as cooperation in industrial, health and defence sectors will be expanded between the two countries. Besides, air communication with other European countries will be easier,” Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said at a press briefing after the meeting.

There are headquarters of some international agencies in Vienna, Austria’s capital. So, this air connectivity is important for Bangladesh, he said.

The agreement titled “Air services agreement between the Austrian Federal Government and the government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh” has been framed following the standards of International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), the secretary said.

According to the proposed agreement, the number of passenger and cargo flights can be set through negotiation between the countries and the air agencies nominated by two countries can operate seven passenger and cargo flights a week under an MoU to be inked on the signing date of the main agreement, he added.