US-Bangla Airlines has officially commenced its direct flight service between Dhaka and Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia. On Monday, the airline operated its inaugural flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka, departing at 2:10 PM with 423 passengers on board. Riyadh becomes the 14th international destination in US-Bangla Airlines’ growing network.

Initially, the airline will operate five weekly flights on this route using its Airbus A330-300 aircraft, which has a seating capacity of 436. According to the airline’s schedule, flights will depart from Dhaka every Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday at 1:20 PM and will arrive in Riyadh at 5:10 PM local time. The return flight from Riyadh is scheduled to leave at 7:15 PM and reach Dhaka at 4:00 AM the following morning.

The launch of the Dhaka-Riyadh service comes after a long period of anticipation, especially among the Bangladeshi expatriate community in Saudi Arabia. With this move, US-Bangla aims to offer improved travel convenience for overseas Bangladeshis and enhance access to one of the most important destinations in the Middle East. This new service follows the airline’s existing route to Jeddah, strengthening its footprint in Saudi Arabia.

US-Bangla Airlines has also expressed its commitment to ensuring that remittance earners from Saudi Arabia can easily access any domestic destination within Bangladesh upon arrival. The airline intends to provide seamless travel options for those working abroad to connect with their hometowns across the country in the shortest possible time.

Currently, the US-Bangla fleet includes a total of 24 aircraft, comprising two Airbus A330-300s and nine Boeing 737-800s, among others. Beyond its domestic operations, the airline already operates international flights to Jeddah, Dubai, Sharjah, Abu Dhabi, Muscat, Doha, Male, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Bangkok, Guangzhou, Chennai, and Kolkata.

Before the departure of the inaugural Dhaka-Riyadh flight, a prayer session was held with the participation of passengers and US-Bangla Airlines staff, seeking blessings for the success and safety of the new route. The ceremony marked a significant milestone in the airline’s continued efforts to expand its international services and cater to the needs of the Bangladeshi diaspora.