US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T. Christensen has assured US support for Bangladesh’s efforts to launch direct commercial flights between Dhaka and New York, while expressing interest from American investors in the country’s aviation and tourism sectors.

The ambassador made the remarks during a courtesy meeting with Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister M Rashiduzzaman Millat at the minister’s office at the Bangladesh Secretariat in Dhaka on September 16.

The meeting discussed strengthening bilateral relations between Bangladesh and the United States.

Millat said the government is giving special importance to the country’s civil aviation sector and is working on an aviation master plan to improve air connectivity.

As part of efforts to establish Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub, a modern air traffic management system has recently been inaugurated at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. The government has also taken an initiative to establish an international airport in Bogura, he said.

The minister said the government has undertaken an initiative to purchase new aircraft for Biman Bangladesh Airlines with the aim of developing it into a globally recognised legacy carrier.

As part of the initiative, Bangladesh has already signed an agreement to purchase 14 Boeing aircraft, which Millat described as an important example of the two countries’ long-term commercial and strategic cooperation. He, however, stressed the need to expedite delivery of the Boeing-manufactured aircraft.

Millat said obtaining FAA International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) Category 1 status is important for operating direct commercial flights to the United States.

Considering the growing commercial and diplomatic ties between the two countries and the large number of Bangladeshi citizens living in the US, the government is working to launch direct flights on the Dhaka–New York (JFK) route next year, he said.

On tourism, Millat said Bangladesh is endowed with natural beauty and claimed that the previous government had taken no significant initiative to develop the sector.

The current government is encouraging private investment to develop the country’s 1,498 tourism spots into international-standard tourist destinations, he said.

Christensen said the United States supports Bangladesh’s progress towards becoming an aviation hub and that the friendly relations between the two countries would remain strong.

He also congratulated Millat on taking charge as the full-fledged Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister.

The ambassador said US investors are interested in investing in Bangladesh’s civil aviation and tourism sectors. He assured that the United States would provide all kinds of cooperation in launching flights on the Dhaka–New York route.

The two sides also discussed the ambassador’s plans to visit various tourism spots in Bangladesh to promote the country’s tourism sector.