US-Bangla stands strong with ambitious fleet, network expansion goals

Dhaka : US-Bangla Airlines, the country's largest private carrier, has completed 12 years of operations, overcoming numerous challenges through strategic planning, consistency, and lessons learned from the failures of several defunct airlines.

Talking to The Bangladesh Monitor, Kamrul Islam, General Manager of Public Relations at US-Bangla Airlines, said the airline's steady growth has been driven by careful planning, passenger trust, and an unwavering commitment to safety.

From two aircraft to fleet of 25

US-Bangla launched operations on July 17, 2014, with two Dash 8-Q400 aircraft on the Dhaka-Jashore route. Today, it operates a fleet of 25 aircraft, including three Airbus A330-300s and nine Boeing 737-800s, serving 14 international destinations in 10 countries alongside five domestic routes.

Kamrul said the airline aims to maintain this momentum to establish itself not only as Bangladesh's leading carrier but also as one of Asia's finest.

Growth backed by passenger confidence

According to Kamrul, passenger trust has been the foundation of the airline's expansion. While some view its growth as rapid, he said the company has always followed a measured approach.

US-Bangla initially focused on destinations with large Bangladeshi expatriate communities, operating flights to cities including Jeddah, Riyadh, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha, Kuala Lumpur, and Singapore. It also serves leisure, business, and medical travel markets through destinations such as Bangkok, Malé, Guangzhou, and Chennai.

Expansion plans through 2027

Beginning in 2027, US-Bangla plans to add 21 Boeing aircraft to its fleet, enabling it to launch services to 10 to 12 new international destinations while expanding frequencies on existing routes.

The next phase of growth includes destinations such as Kuwait, Bahrain, Brunei, Dammam, Medina, Penang, and Johor Bahru. The airline also plans to establish Chattogram and Sylhet as regional aviation hubs by basing four aircraft in Chattogram and two in Sylhet for direct international operations.

Addressing industry's skills gap

Kamrul said Bangladesh's shortage of skilled pilots and aircraft engineers remains one of the industry's biggest challenges.

To help address the gap, US-Bangla has already trained 28 pilots in Florida, who have since joined the airline, along with 18 aircraft engineers. The company now plans to train another 200 pilots and 100 engineers over the coming years.

Aviation's broader economic role

Kamrul believes aviation and tourism have the potential to play a much larger role in Bangladesh's economy. While the two sectors currently contribute around 3 percent to GDP, he said the goal should be to increase that figure to between 6 and 7 percent through stronger collaboration among aviation, tourism, and hospitality stakeholders.

Reflecting on his own career, Kamrul-who has worked in aviation public relations for nearly three decades-described PR as a profession that demands continuous dedication, particularly in the era of social media and global operations across multiple time zones.

He added that organizations should invest in public relations consistently rather than only during times of crisis, emphasizing that effective communication requires industry knowledge, patience, and long-term commitment.