The newly deregulated airline industry in Bangladesh has seen a second new airline entering the regional market.
Air Parabat has been set up by Bangladeshi industrial group Karim, with funding provided by Bangladeshi private bank IFCB. The airline launched operations from Dhaka at the end of December 1997, using two ex-Air Ostrava Let L-410 UVP-E 19-seat turboprops. The country's other new carrier, GMG Airlines, introduced three ex-Mesaba de Havilland Dash 8-100s on lease from Bombardier during the first quarter of 1998, on a regional network from Dhaka (Flight International, 24 December 1997-6 January).
Air Parabat's Let 410s, which are seven to ten years old, have been acquired through UK-based aircraft-charter/remarketing specialist Avia Special following refurbishment by Let. Air Parabat managing director Nadera Alam says that the L-410 was selected because of its short-field performance. "Our planned destinations include Sylhet, Shamshernagar, Barisal, Chittagong, and Cox's Bazar," she says.
Source: Flight International
