The Bangladesh government has decided to use the local currency, taka, instead of US dollar to determine airfare for carrying passengers and transporting goods from home to abroad — effective from July 1 this year.
The decision was announced in a circular signed by the deputy secretary of the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry recently.
Following the directive, all local and foreign airlines operating in the country will have to determine airfare in taka instead of dollars.
Bangladeshi airlines outside the country have been setting airfare in the currencies of those countries, so airfare in Bangladesh should be in taka too, according to the circular.
With the Finance Ministry’s consent, the move was taken on the basis of approvals from the authorities concerned later.
Agencies add: The civil aviation ministry said airlines operating in Bangladesh will have to set flight fares in taka instead of dollars from July 1.
The move will bring relief to the flyers who have been paying more as the taka loses value against the dollar.
Bangladesh Association of International Recruiting Agencies (BAIRA), Association of Travel Agents of Bangladesh (ATAB) and Hajj Agencies Association of Bangladesh (HAAB) welcomed the decision.
The ministry recently issued a circular signed by Deputy Secretary Rocksinda Farhana in this regard.
According to the circular, Bangladeshi airlines will sell tickets in the currency of the countries in which they operate.
Similarly, Bangladeshi taka will determine airfares for passengers and cargo on all local and foreign flights, reads the circular.
Compared to last year, plane tickets now cost 35 percent more as taka lost value against the dollar, said ATAB secretary general Abdus Salam Aref.
