Indian high commissioner Riva Ganguly today placed a proposal to civil aviation ministry here for initiating air bubble between Bangladesh and India to restore air connectivity between the two neighbouring countries amid Covid-19 pandemic.
The outgoing Indian envoy made the proposal as he met state minister for civil aviation and tourism M Mahbub Ali at secretariat here, a press release said.
During the meeting, Ali welcomed the initiative of restoring flight operation between the two countries through air bubble.
The state minister also suggested for holding meeting among the civil aviation authorities of both the countries to set modalities and regulations of air bubble so that the people of Bangladesh and India can get the highest benefit out of the air connectivity.
Under the air bubble mechanism, air connectivity will be restored only between Bangladesh and India where no third country will be involved that means the airlines will not take any transit passengers.
India has already introduced such air bubble with France, Germany the UAE and the Maldives, an Indian diplomat stationed in Bangladesh said. During the recent visit of Indian external affairs secretary Harsh Vardhan Shringla to Dhaka, India placed the idea of air travel bubble to Bangladesh.
On August 19, at the foreign secretary level bilateral meeting between Bangladesh and India, both the sides agreed to introduce the mechanism during this pandemic situation for allowing treatment aspirants and businessmen to travel between the two neighbouring countries.
During today’s meeting, the state minister also observed that Bangladesh and India can help each other to recover the losses of the tourist sectors due to the pandemic.
Mentioning that India is providing support of improving Rabindranath Tagore’s Kuthibai in Shilaidah of Kushtia, Gangualy hoped that Bangladesh will get lots of Indian tourists after completion of the renovation.BSS
