Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) – Turkish Airlines on Sunday launched its first flight from Dhaka to Istanbul via Karachi, the airlines said.

The airlines will operate four flights in a week at 22:50pm on Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport to Istanbul via Karachi.

An inaugural ceremony to start the flight was held that the airport followed by a press conference. Civil aviation and tourism ministry secretary Shafique Alam Mehdi, Turkish ambassador to Bangladesh Vakur Erkul and civil aviation chairman Mahmud Hossain were present.

Turkish airlines new route from Dhaka would allow more Bangladeshis the opportunity to explore Istanbul, Turkey and beyond, said the press release. Currently, the airlines flies to 167 destinations, including 128 international and 39 domestic lines.

BBN/SI/AD-27Dec10-11:07 am (BST)