The government has taken a groundbreaking initiative to ensure affordable travel facilities for expatriate Bangladeshi workers in Saudi Arabia.
Under this initiative, the one-way airfare on the Saudi Arabia–Bangladesh route has been fixed at only Taka 20,000, making it easier and more economical for migrant workers to visit their families, the Chief Adviser’s Press Wing revealed it on Friday morning.
About the initiative, Civil Aviation and Tourism Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin said that under this special arrangement, a target has been set to sell 80,000 tickets in Saudi Arabia and Bangladesh.
“Through this initiative, expatriate workers will benefit directly, while the state-owned airline, Biman Bangladesh Airlines, is also expected to gain significant financial benefits,” he said.
The adviser said that particularly in the operation of Hajj flights, the long-standing practice of operating empty one-way flights will be effectively utilised through this initiative.
“As a result, for the first time in the history of Biman, there is a realistic possibility of earning more than Taka 100 crore in additional revenue,” he added.
Bashir informed that under this special arrangement, the minimum one-way fare on the Madinah–Dhaka and Jeddah–Dhaka routes has been fixed at Taka 20,500 while the minimum return fare on the Madinah–Dhaka–Madinah and Jeddah–Dhaka–Jeddah routes has been set at Taka 42,000.
This special fare will be applicable for arrivals in Bangladesh from 18th April, 2026 to 25th May, 2026 and for departures from Bangladesh from 30th May, 2026 to 30th June, 2026, he said.
Describing the initiative as an important milestone in the implementation of a pro-expatriate policy, Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus thanked Adviser Sk Bashir Uddin for taking this step.
He said that such practical decisions in the future would further ease the lives of expatriate Bangladeshis and make a positive contribution to the national economy.
“In the past, it has been seen that although many positive initiatives were taken considering the convenience of expatriates, some of them collapsed after a while due to lack of proper care. Therefore, it must be ensured that this initiative is implemented with 100 per cent effectiveness,” Prof Yunus said.
