Biman Bangladesh Boeing 777-300ER

DHAKA, Feb 11, 2025 (BSS) – Biman Bangladesh Airlines has introduced a special 
"worker fare" for Bangladeshi expatriates traveling to Saudi Arabia and 
Malaysia in an effort to curb rising airfares and reduce migration costs.

"We have taken this initiative in line with the government's efforts to lower 
migration expenses," Biman Managing Director and CEO Dr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman 
told BSS this afternoon.

The national flag carrier approved the reduced fare scheme on Monday, which 
came into effect from today, specifically for passengers traveling on new 
employment visas, he said.

Biman’s Director of Marketing and Sales, Ashraful Alam, said the special fare 
applies exclusively to one-way tickets for newly employed expatriate workers 
traveling to various destinations in Saudi Arabia and Kuala Lumpur. The offer 
will remain valid until June 30.

Under the new fare structure, base fares—excluding taxes—have been set at USD 
360 for flights on the Dhaka-Jeddah, Dhaka-Medina, and Dhaka-Riyadh routes, 
and USD 150 for the Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route.

According to Biman sources, regular base fare for Saudi Arabia-bound flights 
currently range between USD 430 and USD 480, while base fare for Kuala Lumpur 
stand at USD 360.

The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) secretary general  
Afsia Jannat Saleh claimed that the initiative followed their proposal during 
an urgent meeting with Biman’s managing director on January 22.

She said ATAB, led by its president Abdus Salam Aref, has been engaged in 
discussions with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the Ministry of 
Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Civil Aviation Authority of 
Bangladesh (CAAB), and Biman to address the issue of soaring airfares.