BSS, Dhaka :
Bangladesh business community doing trade with Germany finds the resumption of the Dhaka-Frankfurt Biman’s flight as the means to infuse elixir into further promoting bilateral commerce and investment to the greater benefit of the both economies.
Talking to BSS in Frankfurt, business persons of both Bangladesh and Germany said that this flight would greatly contribute towards considerably augmenting the both way trade, that has long been stopped due to the absence of direct air communication between the two countries for eight years until recently.
“We most heartily welcome resumption of the Biman’s direct air connectivity with Frankfurt as it would now stand pout as a bridge between the two countries, thus bringing two peoples closer to each other,” Bangladesh born German businessman Anowarul Kabir said.
Due to shortage in the number of wide bodied aircraft, Biman had to stop its regular flight to Frankfurt in 2006. On March 31 this year, the present government taking into cognizance the importance of such a connectivity with this highly important European city from business point of view resumed the flight.
“It’s a pleasure for all of us that Biman carrying the sweetness of my home is back here in Frankfurt, Kabir, also the President of German-Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and industry said.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines resumed its Dhaka-Frankfurt flight on March 31 after a suspension of eight years, creating the 19th overseas destination of the national flag carrier.
Biman is operating two flights a week-Fridays and Mondays — to the new destination via Rome with the brand new Boeing 777-300 ER with 419 seats.
Manfred Schleiffer, sales manager of Air Logistics, Biman’s cargo handling agent in Germany, said they are targeting eight to ten tonnes of cargo per flight from Frankfurt. Hans Sneider, a local importer, was otherwise happy to see the direct air connectivity between his country and Bangladesh as he has long been in search of a direct link with Dhaka to import finished garment products for the German consumers.
“Now I can fly to your country without any transit, buy cloths for our consumers and make my stay in Dhaka enjoyable. I have heard about Bangladesh many times,” he told BSS with a big smile. Kabir, who runs a textile business, said prospects for carrying cargo to Bangladesh from Frankfurt is good apart from carrying passengers. Passengers’ response to Biman would depend on its marketing and other services in the highly competitive airlines business, he said.
Bangalees living in Frankfurt suggested that Biman needs to offer wide range of connecting flights from Dhaka to Nepal, Myanmar, Thailand and Malaysia to attract tourists from Germany and other neighboring countries.
Vice President of Bangladesh-German Chamber of Commerce and Industries Farooq Siddiqui said the time for starting Dhaka-Frankfurt flight is perfect as the trade volume between Bangladesh and Germany is growing fast.
Noting that Germany is the second largest country of importing Bangladesh’s RMG products, Farooq said Biman can make its German route profitable by carrying cargo. “As it’s the only direct flight to Germany, it will make an opportunity to export Bangladeshi agro based product to one of the major European economy,” he said.
Rokonuddin Sarker, a 26-year Bangladeshi studying in Germany, was in the inaugural flight and welcomed the Biman’s move as it’s air fare is cheaper compared to other airlines. “From now on, we don’t need to spend long time for transit like before,” he said.
Commercial Councilor of Bangladesh Embassy in Germany M Abdur Rauf said it’s a good initiative by the national flag carrier to resume its flight to Frankfurt as the trade between Bangladesh and Germany has doubled from 2.1 to 4.2 billion US dollar over the last four years.
If Biman makes its new route to Frankfurt successful, it must target the German nationals especially the businessman instead of targeting only expatriate Bangladeshis,” he said.
“Germany is not like UK or USA in terms of numbers of NRBs. Only 7,000 to 8,000 Bangladeshi expatriates live here, so we have to target German nationals as Biman’s passengers and it’s very much possible with proper marketing,” he said.
Jamal Uddin Ahmed, chairman of the Biman board, hopes the carrier would be successful on the route by maintaining services, as a lot of tourists visiting Nepal, Myanmar and Thailand would travel by Biman. Biman’s direct connectivity with Germany would open a new window of opportunities for trade, tourism and cultural exchanges between the two countries, he added.
Frankfurt Airport Authority accorded water cannon reception when the first flight of Bangladesh Biman touched its taxiway on March 31.
Water canons reception is a traditional etiquette of aviation sector where airports welcome any new airline to its taxiway by washing the aircraft spouting water through water canons from both side to show honor to the new airline.
