DHAKA,– Bangladesh has welcomed Nepal’s proposal to use Saidpur Airport in Nilphamari district as part of strengthening connectivity between the two countries.

“Nepal had made a proposal to use the airport to expedite trade and connectivity between Bangladesh and Nepal. We said yes,” Foreign Minister AK
Abdul Momen told journalists after a bilateral meeting with his Nepalese counterpart Pradeep Kumar Gyawali at the state guest house Meghna here today.

Momen said now a technical committee will see what type of flights can land and take off from here. “We are expanding the airport. Currently, around 12-14 flights go to Saidpur Airport. So, people can come to Dhaka easily,” he said.

The minister said two neighboring countries also agreed to enhance trade, connectivity and remove all barriers in this regard. The Nepalese foreign minister said Bangladesh could get 500 megawatt hydropower within the next five or six years as Indian company GMR is going to start construction of a hydropower plant in Nepal soon.

Gyawali arrived here on Monday at an invitation of Bangladesh. Beginning its journey as a domestic airport in 1979, Saidpur Airport is situated on a total of 136.59 acres of land. It is managed by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. The airport is located 2 kilometer (km) away from Saidpur town and 350 km away from Dhaka, the capital city of Bangladesh.

The only destination is Dhaka for the passengers. Three airlines — Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Novoair and US-Bangla Airlines — are presently
operating their passenger flights to and from Saidpur Airport.