Biman introduces ‘worker fare’ for Saudi Arabia, Malaysia to cut migration costs

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has introduced a special "worker fare" for Bangladeshi expatriates traveling to Saudi Arabia and Malaysia in an effort to curb rising airfares and reduce migration costs.

"We have taken this initiative in line with the government's efforts to lower migration expenses," Biman Managing Director and CEO Dr. Md. Shafiqur Rahman told BSS on Tuesday afternoon.

The national flag carrier approved the reduced fare scheme on Monday, which came into effect from on Tuesday, specifically for passengers traveling on new employment visas, he said.

Biman’s Director of Marketing and Sales, Ashraful Alam, said the special fare applies exclusively to one-way tickets for newly employed expatriate workers traveling to various destinations in Saudi Arabia and Kuala Lumpur. The offer will remain valid until June 30.

Under the new fare structure, base fares—excluding taxes—have been set at USD 360 for flights on the Dhaka-Jeddah, Dhaka-Medina, and Dhaka-Riyadh routes, and USD 150 for the Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur route.

According to Biman sources, regular base fare for Saudi Arabia-bound flights currently range between USD 430 and USD 480, while base fare for Kuala Lumpur stand at USD 360.

The Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) secretary general  Afsia Jannat Saleh claimed that the initiative followed their proposal during an urgent meeting with Biman’s managing director on January 22.

She said ATAB, led by its president Abdus Salam Aref, has been engaged in discussions with the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, the Ministry of Expatriates' Welfare and Overseas Employment, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), and Biman to address the issue of soaring airfares.