Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday inaugurated the brand new Dash 8-400 aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, expressing her conviction to establish a strong regional connectivity cashing on the country’s geographical location in Southeast Asia, reports BSS.

“I want to establish strong connectivity with neighboring countries . . . working on this goal and I think this inclusion (aircraft) of Biman will be helpful in future,” she said.

The premier joined the inauguration ceremony at the VIP Lounge of Shah Jalal International Airport virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

Noting that effective connectivity is required for trade and business, she said Bangladesh can easily establish a strong and effective connectivity with the Southeastern countries due to its geographical location and that is why the government has taken different measures to this end.

The Prime Minister said the Awami League government in its first tenure in 1996 had upgraded the Chattogram and Sylhet airports as international ones while developed the Shah Jalal International Airport massively.

“Now, we are upgrading Cox’s Bazar and Syedpur airports as international ones while construction works of third terminal of Shah Jalal International Airport and expansion of Syltel international airport is going on, and the remaining work will be done gradually,” she said.

Sheikh Hasina named the Dash 8-400 aircraft as “Dhrubotara” mentioning that other brand new aircraft included by her government has been named as Palki, Arun Alo, Akash Pradip, Raanga Pravat, Meghdoot, Mayurpankhi, Akash Beena, Hongshobalaka, Gangchil, Achin Pakhi and Sonar Tori in accordance with the country’s nature.

“I have selected these names and my younger sister Sheikh Rehana helped me in it,” she added.

State minister for civil aviation and tourism Md Mahbub Ali gave welcome speech from Shah Jalal International Airport end while Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister Dr Ahmad Kaikaus conducted the ceremony at Ganabhaban.

The Prime Minister also inaugurated 20 newly built fire service stations in different places, six regional passport offices, women central jail in Keraniganj and a LPG station for jail.

Home minister Asaduzzaman Khan also gave welcome speech at the ceremony.

Earlier, the national flag carrier received the first Dash 8-400 aircraft out of three made by De Havilland Aircraft of Canada, a prominent aircraft-maker of the North American country.

The Dash 8-400 aircraft, equipped with eco-friendly and state-of-the-art facilities, arrived here on November 24.

Biman procured the three Dash 8-400 aircraft under the G2G (government-to-government) agreement between the Bangladesh and Canadian governments.

With the addition of the new Dash plane, the number of Biman’s aircraft has been raised to 19, including four Boeing 777-300ER, four Boeing 787-8, two Boeing 787-9, six Boeing 737 and three Dash 8-400.