The United Kingdom has dropped a hint to lift ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka to London soon.
Visiting British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson came up with the UK's latest stance on Friday night saying it is almost done.
"The aviation authority in Bangladesh and the government of Bangladesh made huge efforts. We're very pleased to see the progress that has been made," he said.
Johnson said it while talking to reporters at Sate Guesthouse Padma after his meeting with Foreign Minister AH Mahmood Ali.
The British Foreign Secretary appreciated success of Bangladesh in various areas and laid emphasis on free press and free, fair and democratic elections.
"We want to intensify our bilateral relations," he said, adding that the UK wants more trade with Bangladesh in the days to come.
On March 8, 2016, the British government slapped the ban on direct cargo flights from Dhaka to London after Biman failed to pass the safety and security tests.
Biman's cargo business shrank 22.54 percent last fiscal year on the back of the ban on direct freight flight from Dhaka to London.
In fiscal 2016-17, Biman earned Tk 2.44 billion from its cargo business in contrast to Tk 3.15 billion a year earlier.
The state-run carrier transported 33,542 tonnes of cargoes last fiscal year, down 18 per cent year-on-year.
The British Foreign Secretary, now in city on a two-day visit, discussed various issues of bilateral, regional and Rohingya issues in the meeting with Minister Ali that lasted for over an hour.
State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam, Foreign Secretary M Shahidul Haque, British High Commissioner in Dhaka Alison Blake, among others, were present.
