Biman resumes Manchester-Sylhet-Dhaka service

Dhaka: Biman Bangladesh Airlines has resumed its direct Manchester–Sylhet–Dhaka service, restoring a route long considered essential for the British Bangladeshi community across northern England.

Flight BG208 departed Manchester Airport on July 4 aboard a Boeing 787 Dreamliner carrying 265 passengers, including 22 in business class and 243 in economy class.

Before departure, the national airline held a cake-cutting ceremony at Manchester Airport. Attendees included Assistant High Commissioner of Bangladesh Mohammad Jobayed Hosen, Biman Deputy Managing Director Syed Moin Uddin Ahmed, the flight and cabin crew, the airline's regional manager, Manchester Airport Authority officials, community leaders, and business representatives.

The Manchester route had been suspended earlier this year after Biman cited commercial viability concerns for withdrawing the service. The decision drew disappointment among passengers, particularly members of the Bangladeshi diaspora in Greater Manchester and across northern England, many of whom relied on the route for direct access to Sylhet.

British Bangladeshi community organizations, business leaders, travel agents, and elected representatives launched a campaign opposing the suspension. Public meetings and rallies took place in Oldham and elsewhere, while groups including the Greater Sylhet Development and Welfare Council UK pressed the Bangladesh government to reverse the decision.

Campaigners said the Manchester route offered the fastest and most convenient option for families traveling to Sylhet, and that routing passengers through London would raise costs and create hardship, especially for elderly travelers.

The issue reached the British Parliament on January 15, when Labour MP Paul Waugh, representing Rochdale, described the route in the House of Commons as a lifeline for the British Bangladeshi community across the North West, Scotland, and the Midlands.

Waugh urged Biman to reconsider its withdrawal, citing the route's importance to families and businesses maintaining ties with Bangladesh. The Leader of the House, responding for the government, acknowledged the community's concerns and expressed hope the airline would respond.

In March, Biman announced the Manchester route would return in July 2026, following the completion of annual Hajj flight operations. The announcement was welcomed by the Bangladeshi community in the United Kingdom.

Biman officials said the restored service is expected to strengthen family connections, support business and tourism activity, and improve overall connectivity between Bangladesh and the United Kingdom.

Passengers aboard inaugural resumed flight said they were pleased to see the route restored, calling it a vital link for the Bangladeshi community in northern England. Several expressed hope that the service would now remain a permanent part of Biman Bangladesh Airlines' international network going forward.