Africa’s leading carrier Ethiopian Airlines, in association with its Bangladesh General Sales Agent (GSA) Rhythm Group, hosted an Iftar mahfil at the Dhaka Sheraton in Banani, bringing together key stakeholders from the country’s travel trade and aviation community.

The event was attended by representatives of leading travel agencies and tour operators, reflecting Ethiopian Airlines’ growing footprint in Bangladesh’s outbound and transit market.

Ethiopian Airlines Area Manager for Bangladesh Desalegn Molla delivered the welcome address, while Rhythm Group Managing Director Sohag Hossain was present at the programme.

Addressing the gathering, Molla extended Ramadan greetings and underscored the airline’s commitment to strengthening connectivity between Bangladesh and its vast global network.

“At Ethiopian, our mission is to bridge gaps and connect peoples, cultures, and economies,” he said, highlighting the carrier’s extensive network of more than 60 destinations across Africa and 145 destinations worldwide.

He noted that Ethiopian Airlines launched passenger services to Dhaka in 2024 with the aim of integrating Bangladesh more closely with Africa, Europe and the Americas through Addis Ababa.

“Our flights to Bangladesh simplify travel between the country and Africa, Europe and the Americas. With our award-winning service and ultra-modern aircraft, we came to serve the people of Bangladesh,” Molla said.

Celebrating its 80th anniversary this April, Ethiopian Airlines currently operates a fleet of 147 aircraft and has positioned itself as Africa’s largest airline in terms of passenger carriage, fleet size and revenue. Globally, it ranks as the fourth largest airline.

Molla also emphasized the critical role of trade partners in sustaining growth.

“Our agency partners are critical to turning awareness into action. As we move to a growth phase, we see enormous opportunity to work together on targeted promotions, creative packaging and storytelling,” he said.

He acknowledged the support of Bangladesh’s civil aviation authorities, airport authorities, travel agencies, tour operators and media partners, noting that Ethiopian’s achievements in the market would not have been possible without their “commitment, dedication and tireless efforts.”

The Iftar gathering served not only as a Ramadan networking event but also as a platform to reaffirm Ethiopian Airlines’ long-term commitment to the Bangladesh market and its ambition to further enhance Africa–Bangladesh connectivity in the coming years.