Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro met with Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam at the secretariat. Photo: Collected

DHAKA, June 22, 2026 (BSS) – Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Afroza Khanam today stressed the need for increasing flight frequencies on the Dhaka-Rome route to better serve the growing Bangladeshi community in Italy and strengthen air connectivity between the two countries.

She made the comment when Italian Ambassador to Bangladesh Antonio Alessandro paid a courtesy call on her at the secretariat here, according to an official handout.  

During the meeting, the minister highlighted the importance of expanding air services on the Dhaka-Rome route for increasing number of Bangladeshi expatriates living and working in Italy.

In response, Ambassador Alessandro assured that appropriate measures would be explored to enhance flight connectivity between the two countries.

The two sides emphasized the importance of further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Italy and discussed ways to deepen cooperation in the civil aviation sector.

The ambassador appreciated the contribution of around 250,000 Bangladeshi workers to the Italian economy and thanked the government and people of Bangladesh for their role in supporting Italy's workforce needs. 

During the meeting, Ambassador Alessandro also conveyed the interest of Italian firm The Edge Company in developing a Bird Control Management System (BCMS) for airports in Bangladesh.

He further highlighted the interest of Flyon Aero in establishing an aviation training academy in Bangladesh to enhance the technical skills and professional capacity of local aviation technicians.

The minister reiterated Bangladesh's interest in working closely with Italy to advance the country's aviation sector and discussed attracting foreign investment through Public-Private Partnership (PPP) initiatives for airport expansion and infrastructure development.

Earlier in the day, the minister also met representatives of Singapore-based aviation company SATS, who expressed interest in providing ground handling services at the Third Terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

The minister invited the company to submit a formal proposal through the appropriate process and assured that it would receive due consideration.