Transport in Bangladesh is dominated by roadways, accounting for the majority of both passenger and cargo traffic due to substantial development efforts since independence. Eight major national highways connect the capital, Dhaka, with divisional and district headquarters, port cities, and international routes. Despite this, vehicle usage per capita remains low, with non-motorised modes prevailing. However, Bangladesh's roads are unsafe, having one of the highest road accident fatality rates. They also suffer from high congestion, as well as severe air and noise pollution.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, commonly known as Biman, is the national flag carrier of Bangladesh. With its main hub at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, the airline also operates flights from its secondary hubs at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong and as well as Osmani International Airport in Sylhet. The airline provides international passenger and cargo services to multiple destinations and has air service agreements in 42 countries. The headquarters of the airline, Balaka Bhaban, is located in Kurmitola, in the northern part of Dhaka. Annual Hajj flights, transporting tourists, migrants, and non-resident Bangladeshi workers and the activities of its subsidiaries form an integral part of the corporate business of the airline. Bangladesh's air transport sector, which is experiencing an 8% annual growth rate thanks to a large number of outbound tourists, domestic tourists, and non-resident Bangladeshi travellers, is very competitive with stiff competition among some private Bangladeshi airlines as well as Biman.
Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport is the main international airport serving Dhaka City, the capital city of Bangladesh, and it is the largest airport in Bangladesh. It is located in Kurmitola, 17 km (11 mi) from the city centre, in the northern part of Dhaka. The airport is also used as a base for the Bangladesh Air Force, named BAF Base Bangabandhu. The airport has an area of 802 hectares. The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) operates and maintains the airport. It started operations in 1980, taking over from Tejgaon Airport as the principal international airport of the country. The airport was formerly known as Dacca International Airport and later as Zia International Airport, before being named in honour of Shah Jalal, who is one of the most respected Sufi saints of Bangladesh. The IATA code of the airport, "DAC", is derived from "Dacca", which is the previously used spelling for "Dhaka".
Shah Amanat International Airport, Chattogram is an international airport serving Bangladesh's southeastern port city of Chattogram. Operated and maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh, it is the second-largest international airport in Bangladesh after Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, Bangladesh. It is used by the Bangladesh Air Force as a part of 'BAF Zahurul Haq Base'. It was formerly known as MA Hannan International Airport, named after Awami League politician M. A. Hannan, but was renamed on 2 April 2005 by the Government of Bangladesh, after an 18th-century Islamic saint, Shah Amanat. It is capable of annually handling 1.5 million passengers and 6,000 tonnes of cargo. It also serves as a base for the Arirang Flying School.
Barisal, officially known as Barishal, is a major city that lies on the banks of the Kirtankhola river in south-central Bangladesh. It is the largest city and the administrative headquarter of both Barisal District and Barisal Division. It is one of the oldest municipalities and river ports of the country. The city was once called the Venice of the East or the Venice of Bengal.
Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, is the third largest airport in Bangladesh after Dhaka and Chittagong. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority and is served by Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national airline, which at one point earned most of its revenue from this airport. Private airlines Novoair and US-Bangla Airlines operate domestic flights to Dhaka.
Cox's Bazar Airport is an domestic airport in the resort town of Cox's Bazar in Bangladesh. It is in the process of being upgraded to an international airport. The airport serves the residents of Cox's Bazar as well as tourists to the region. Cox's Bazar Airport is undergoing massive expansion, which is due to be completed by 2023.
Jashore Airport is a domestic airport in Jashore, Bangladesh that is operated and maintained by the Civil Aviation Authority. It is also used by the Bangladesh Air Force as part of BAF Matiur Rahman Base and training airfield for the Bangladesh Air Force Academy. Currently it has seven daily flights to Dhaka and a weekly flight to Cox's Bazar. It is the only operational airport of the Khulna Division and the fifth busiest airport of Bangladesh. The airport is located 6 km west of downtown Jashore.
Shah Makhdum Airport is a domestic airport serving Rajshahi, the principal city of the Rajshahi Division in Bangladesh. The airport is located at Nowhata, about 10 kilometers north from city center of Rajshahi and named after Sufi saint Shah Makhdum Rupos. The airport also serves as a base for two flying training academies.
Saipur Airport is a domestic airport located in Saidpur, Rangpur Division, Bangladesh. The airport is operated by the Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Novoair, Air Astra & US-Bangla Airlines operate the flights to Dhaka, Chittagong & Cox’s Bazar.
Tejgaon Airport, officially BAF Base Bashar, is a Bangladesh Air Force military base in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Bangladesh Army also uses this military base. It is also the National Parade Square of Bangladesh. It served as the country's sole international airport prior to the construction of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) functions as the regulatory body for all aviation related activities in Bangladesh. It is the civil aviation authority operating under the Ministry of Civil Aviation & Tourism. All nine operational airports are operated by the CAAB. A member of International Civil Aviation Organization, it has signed bilateral air transport agreement with 52 states. It is headquartered in Kurmitola, Dhaka.
The history of aviation in Bangladesh began with kites, the traditional heavier-than-air man-made object, that is flown by one or more people while staying on the ground. The first recorded manned flight was arranged by the Dhaka Nawab Family in 1892, which resulted in the death of the flyer.
United Airways (BD) Ltd., operated as United Airways, was a Bangladeshi airline headquartered in Uttara, Dhaka. It operated flights from its main hub at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka and secondary hub at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong. It was founded in 2005 and began flights on 10 July 2007 with a Bombardier Dash 8–100, purchased from Island Air. United Airways was the first listed company in the aviation sector of Bangladesh; it became listed in July 2010.
Ishwardi Airport is a domestic airport located exactly at Lalpur Upazila in Natore district but the airport and surrounding area is considered to located at Ishwardi Upazila in Pabna District. Biman Bangladesh Airlines operated regular flights from here to Dhaka until 1996. On 18 November 2013, United Airways resumed flights to Dhaka, thus commercial services resumed after 17 years, but flights to the airport were suspended in mid-2014.
Regent Airways was a Bangladeshi airline owned by HG Aviation Ltd, a fully owned subsidiary of Habib Group. It is based at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Due to its bad financial condition, it is looking for investors to raise funds and resume operations. Since March 2020, due to the COVID-19 outbreak, the airline suspended its operation and has not resumed since.
Novoair is a Bangladeshi airline based in Dhaka operating mostly domestic flights. It operates 25 flights each day from Dhaka to its eight destinations.
US-Bangla Airlines is the largest airline in Bangladesh by fleet size. The airline is headquartered in Dhaka and based at Shahjalal International Airport under the umbrella companies of US-Bangla Group.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines Flight 060 was a scheduled international passenger flight from Dhaka Hazrat Shah Jalal International Airport, Bangladesh to Yangon International Airport, Myanmar. On May 8, 2019, the Bombardier Q400 aircraft skidded off the runway upon landing, breaking into three sections. There were no fatalities, but 18 of the 28 passengers on board including 5 crew members were injured: the aircraft was also declared a hull loss, making it the tenth hull loss of a Q400 aircraft.
