Govt keen to work with Lufthansa to develop Bangladesh as aviation hub: Minister

The government is keen to work with German aviation giant Lufthansa to strengthen the country's position as an aviation hub, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat said today (6 October).

He made the remarks during a meeting with a Lufthansa delegation led by German Ambassador to Bangladesh Rüdiger Lotz at his office in Dhaka around noon.

The meeting discussed aviation connectivity between Bangladesh and Germany, the development of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, and other issues of mutual interest.

The minister said there is considerable scope to expand cooperation in the civil aviation sector based on the friendly relations between the two countries.

"Lufthansa is a globally recognised aviation company. There is an opportunity for Lufthansa to invest in setting up a Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul (MRO) facility as Bangladesh moves towards becoming an aviation hub," he said.

He also said Lufthansa could work with Bangladesh to develop skilled manpower in the aviation sector.

He also sought Germany's support in withdrawing the European Union's High Risk Cargo and Mail (HRCM) status imposed on cargo arriving from Bangladesh since 2017.

He said the government has taken measures to address all observations since coming to power, while Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Osmani International Airport recently achieved ratings of more than 90% in security audits.

"We expect Germany's cooperation in withdrawing the HRCM status," he said.

He also said the government was working to sign an agreement to purchase 10 Airbus aircraft for Biman, but stressed that delivery should begin before 2030.

Both sides expressed interest in deepening bilateral ties and expanding cooperation in air connectivity and tourism.

The minister welcomed the German ambassador and the Lufthansa delegation, expressing hope that cooperation between the two countries would expand further in the future.