On January 1, 2002, the PIA suspended its services in Bangladesh following India's withdrawal of overflying rights to Pakistan.

The national flag carrier of Pakistan will operate twice-a-week flight on Karachi-Dhaka route on Saturdays and Mondays, Nazir Ahmed, PIA's country manager in Bangladesh, said.

With the resumption of flights, travelling between the two Saarc (South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation) nations will be much easier and convenient, he told The Daily Star yesterday.

"Resumption of the PIA services will increase trade and strengthen friendly relations between the two countries," he added.

The PIA has recently appointed Bengal ABN Travels Limited (BATL) as its general sales agent, said Rezaur Rahman, managing director of the BATL.

Resumption of the PIA services will provide travelling alternatives to passengers and reduce travel cost, he added.

Currently, Biman Bangladesh Airlines operates three weekly flights on Dhaka-Karachi route. In 2001, the PIA carried 40,739 passengers to and from Bangladesh.

Earlier this month, India and Pakistan agreed on restoring flights between them from January 1 and lift restrictions on aircraft crossing into each other's territory.

Following an attack on its parliament in December 2001, India severed all transport links with Pakistan accusing the nuclear rival of its involvement in the attack.

The PIA will also re-establish its flights to Nepal from January 4, 2004.