Bangladesh's first private international all-cargo carrier, founded in 1998 with investment from the Mollah Industrial Group and holding an air operator certificate and an air transport operating licence issued by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. It operates scheduled, non-scheduled and international charter cargo flights, and holds authorized ground handling at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet along with approved maintenance capability. For Chinese shippers, Bismillah has no mainland China route and no published capacity at present, so its value lies in cargo ground handling inside Bangladesh, charter organisation and aircraft technical support.
Chinese-language service provider: Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited, handling booking, customs declaration and end-to-end logistics for international air freight, on routes from China to the United States and all major continents.
Bismillah Airlines (IATA two-letter code BH, ICAO three-letter code BML, call sign BISMILLAH) was founded in 1998 with investment from Bangladesh's Mollah Industrial Group. Its head office is at Arafat Tower on DIT Road in Malibag, Dhaka; it operates from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport as its main base, has operating hubs at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet, and uses Cox's Bazar Airport as a secondary base. It was the first carrier in Bangladesh to obtain an air operator certificate and an air transport operating licence in the private sector with authority to operate scheduled international all-cargo flights.
The company started international cargo work early. In 1999 it opened a commercial cargo route from Bangkok to Dhaka with Boeing 707 freighters, establishing one of Bangladesh's first air cargo links to Southeast Asia. In 2016 it extended cargo operations to Hong Kong International Airport in China, with ground handling by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals, making it one of the few Bangladeshi carriers at the time with operating experience at a Hong Kong cargo terminal. In 2010 its published import and export volumes were 75,000 tonnes and 120,000 tonnes respectively, reflecting its capacity in the peak garment and perishables export seasons.
Beyond air transport itself, the company covers several parts of the aviation chain. It holds authorized ground handling at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, providing cargo loading, apron support, catering and hotel arrangements and aircraft refuelling. It holds a maintenance organisation approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and can carry out checks up to C check, structural sheet metal work and refurbishment. It also runs tear-down of retired aircraft for parts and airworthiness tag management. The company has additionally flown domestic cargo services between Cox's Bazar, Jessore, Chittagong and Dhaka with HS 748 aircraft. For the China market it has no scheduled mainland route and no own office, and no China booking channel is listed in public sources; Chinese shippers needing charters or ground handling should approach its local Chinese agent or ask us to coordinate.
| Airline | Bismillah Airlines |
| Company type | All-cargo carrier (also ground handling and maintenance) |
| Country | Bangladesh |
| Global headquarters | Malibag, Dhaka |
| Hub airport | Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka (DAC) Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong (CGP) Osmani International Airport, Sylhet (ZYL) Secondary base: Cox's Bazar Airport (CXB) |
| Founded | 1998 |
| IATA two-letter code | BH |
| ICAO three-letter code | BML |
| Air waybill prefix | 256 |
| Official lookup website | www.bismillahairlines.net |
| Cargo aircraft | No owned freighters on register at presentNone available Previously operated Boeing 747-400, Boeing 707, Il-76 and other freighters |
| China services | No mainland China routes or officesNone available Ran cargo operations to Hong Kong, China in 2016 |
Compiled from public information. The fleet on register and the status of self-operated cargo flights may change; the carrier's latest publication prevails.
Holds authority for scheduled, non-scheduled and international charter cargo flights, and can handle full-aircraft charters, mail and group cargo.
Holds authorized ground handling at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, covering cargo loading, apron support, catering, fuelling and hotel arrangements.
The maintenance organisation is approved by the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh and can carry out checks up to C check, structural sheet metal work and refurbishment, plus third-party line checks and AOG support.
Handles landing, overflight and technical stop permits for all aircraft types, including VIP and medical evacuation flights, which suits charter missions that need to cross Bangladeshi airspace.
Service structure note: current business is not centred on carrying cargo with its own aircraft but on the support functions around air cargo in Bangladesh. For Chinese shippers two scenarios apply: permits and ground support for charter missions that land in or overfly Bangladesh, and cargo that needs local terminal handling at Dhaka, Chittagong or Sylhet. No date has been published for restoring its own freighter capacity, so full-aircraft charter requests must be checked shipment by shipment.
Over almost thirty years Bismillah Airlines has used several freighter types: Soviet-built transports, US-built widebody and narrowbody freighters and British turboprops, a wider spread than most Bangladeshi carriers. The early years relied on Antonov An-8, An-12 and An-26 aircraft for short and medium sectors, followed by Boeing 707, 727, 737, 747 and Douglas DC-8 types to expand international cargo capacity. Boeing 747-200 and 747-400 widebody freighters flew high-payload intercontinental sectors, Il-76 and Il-96 aircraft carried outsized and long-haul loads, and HS 748 turboprops served short domestic sectors. The mix reflects a long-standing practice of matching aircraft to sector length and payload. The Airbus A321P2F plan published in 2023 is a narrowbody freighter converted from a passenger aircraft, with about 27 tonnes of standard payload and a sector length suited to intra-Asian routes; if it proceeds it would mainly cover medium-haul cargo to South and Southeast Asia. As of August 2024 public information shows no aircraft on register in operation.
| Aircraft type | Number | Category | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Boeing 747-400 / 747-200 | 1 aircraft / 2 aircraft | Widebody freighter | High-payload intercontinental sectors |
| Boeing 707-300 | 1 aircraft | Narrowbody freighter | 1999 Bangkok–Dhaka route |
| Boeing 727-200 / 737-300 | 1 aircraft / 2 aircraft | Narrowbody freighter | Regional cargo |
| Il-76 / Il-96 / Il-18 | 1 aircraft each | Outsized and long-haul | Outsized and long-haul transport |
| Antonov An-8 / An-12 / An-26 | 1 / 3 / 1 aircraft | Short and medium-haul freighters | Short and medium-haul domestic and regional cargo |
| Douglas DC-8-62 | 1 aircraft | Narrowbody freighter | Regional cargo |
| HS 748 | 2 aircraft | Turboprop freighter | Domestic cargo from Cox's Bazar, Jessore and Chittagong to Dhaka |
| Lockheed L-1011 TriStar | 2 aircraft | Widebody freighter | Widebody cargo, retired |
The table lists the historical fleet as published. All of these types have been retired or are no longer operated by the company and do not represent current capacity.
| Aircraft role | Passenger aircraft converted to freighter (P2F) |
| Acquisition method | Operating lease (company plan published in 2023) |
| Standard payload | About 27 tonnes (published reference) |
| Applicable sectors | Medium-haul cargo within Asia |
| Current status | Not yet in serviceNot in service |
| Entry-into-service date | No public information available |
The chart shows published volumes from 2002 to 2010, illustrating the scale of the business while the company operated its own aircraft. No recent figures have been published.
No public information shows Bismillah Airlines operating a served airport, scheduled flight or own office in mainland ChinaNone availableIn 2016 the company extended cargo operations to Hong Kong International Airport, with ground handling by Hong Kong Air Cargo TerminalsHistorical record.
Operating hubs with ground handling authority at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, with Cox's Bazar as a secondary base, covering the main air gateways in Bangladesh.
Cargo route from Bangkok to Dhaka opened in 1999 and extended to Hong Kong, China in 2016. Both were flown with now retired types; no public information shows whether they currently operate.
| Point / airport | Code | Business type | Current status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, Dhaka | DAC | Main operating base, authorized ground handling | Ground handling and maintenance in operation |
| Shah Amanat International Airport, Chittagong | CGP | Operating hub and authorized ground handling | Ground handling business in operation |
| Osmani International Airport, Sylhet | ZYL | Operating hub and authorized ground handling | Ground handling business in operation |
| Cox's Bazar Airport | CXB | Secondary base, domestic cargo destination | Domestic cargo flight status to be confirmed |
| Jessore Airport | JSR | Domestic cargo destination | Domestic cargo flight status to be confirmed |
| Suvarnabhumi Airport, Bangkok | BKK | 1999 international cargo route | Historical record; resumption not publicly disclosed |
| Hong Kong International Airport | HKG | 2016 international cargo operations | Historical record; resumption not publicly disclosed |
Points and operating status compiled from public information. Schedules and timings for other points must follow the carrier's current-season publication; schedules change with the season and the confirmation on the booking date prevails.
Bismillah Airlines has no scheduled cargo service originating in mainland China, so there is no fixed reach from China. Chinese cargo can use its services in two ways. One is to use ground handling and maintenance resources inside Bangladesh, in which case cargo must first reach Dhaka, Chittagong or Sylhet on another carrier. The other is a cargo charter that lands in or overflies Bangladesh, in which case the charterer and our company agree the routing and the airline provides permits and ground support.
Operational note:For mainline transport from China to Bangladesh and to other countries we can arrange the corresponding scheduled capacity under a single quote. Where a shipper needs to build a charter around Bangladesh or arrange cargo terminal handling at destination, we can coordinate the airline's local resources and cost the whole plan.
| Company address | Arafat Tower, 94 Malibag DIT Road, Dhaka, Bangladesh |
| Telephone | 028316156 |
| Office email | info@bismillahairlines.net |
| Office hours | 10:00–20:00, closed Friday |
| Official website | www.bismillahairlines.net |
| China office | No directly owned office in China is publicly listedNone available For bookings, contact its local agent in China, or ask us to coordinate on your behalf |
| Information note | Contact details and office hours may change, so check the carrier's latest publication before handover |
Bismillah Airlines has no office in China and its own capacity is still being restored, so booking calls for more feasibility checking than with a conventional carrier. A forwarder familiar with the Bangladesh market cuts communication and execution cost; the main points are:
The company was the first carrier in Bangladesh to hold a private international all-cargo licence and has long carried cargo on freighters rather than in passenger bellies, with solid experience of full pallets and heavy pieces.
Authorized ground handling at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet means it can complete loading and apron support itself, reducing the interface risk of several subcontractors.
Approved maintenance covers checks up to C check and structural sheet metal work, and includes third-party line checks, AOG support, tear-down of retired aircraft for parts and airworthiness tag management.
Handles landing, overflight and technical stop permits for aircraft including VIP and medical flights, which suits charter missions through Bangladeshi airspace.
Public information as of August 2024 shows no aircraft on register, so self-operated cargo flights are unavailableNone available; full-aircraft charter requests must have the source of capacity confirmed shipment by shipment.
Mainline capacity from mainland China to Bangladesh has to come from another carrier. We normally use scheduled flights for the mainline and the airline's local resources for the destination leg.
Applicability: Bismillah Airlines is useful at the destination end rather than at origin. A Chinese shipper delivering to Dhaka, Chittagong or Sylhet can use its terminal handling and ground support; for a full-aircraft charter out of China we would also assess carriers with freighters in service.
The company belongs to Bangladesh's Mollah Industrial Group, whose interests cover manufacturing and export trading. The group founded Bismillah Flying School in 2009, Bangladesh's first private flight training organisation. The airline itself also handles aircraft tear-down and airworthiness tag management, third-party line checks, AOG support and customs clearance for spare parts, so transport, maintenance and parts support each reinforce the others.
In June 2023 the company stated publicly that it planned to bring in Airbus A321P2F freighters on operating lease and began recruiting pilots and engineers for the type, with operations originally due to start by the end of the third quarter of 2023. Public information as of August 2024 shows no aircraft on register and no published entry-into-service date. Shippers intending to use its own capacity should keep back-up capacity in their plan so that a delayed introduction does not affect delivery dates.
Charter missions that land, overfly or make a technical stop in Bangladesh need landing permits, overflight permits and the relevant traffic rights arranged in advance, together with apron slots, fuelling, catering and crew accommodation. Lead times depend on the routing and the nature of the mission, so the process should start well before the planned departure date. We coordinate the carrier and local support providers under one plan and report progress at each milestone.
For general cargo from China to Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet we normally recommend belly capacity on scheduled flights with stable frequencies. For bulk shipments and full-aircraft charters we match a carrier with freighters in service according to volume. For cargo destined beyond Bangladesh, to South and Central Asia, the Middle East, Europe or the United States, we match a carrier for each direction. All of these can be handled through us with comparative quotes.
Bismillah Airlines is a private all-cargo carrier in Bangladesh, founded in 1998 with investment from the Mollah Industrial Group and headquartered in Dhaka. It was the first carrier in Bangladesh to hold a private international all-cargo operating licence. Its IATA two-letter code is BH, its ICAO three-letter code is BML and its air waybill prefix is 256.
No public information shows the company operating a served airport, scheduled flight or own office in mainland ChinaNone availableIn 2016 the company extended cargo operations to Hong Kong International Airport with ground handling by Hong Kong Air Cargo Terminals; no current operating details are published.
Public information as of August 2024 shows no aircraft on register in operation; the international and domestic cargo flights previously flown with its own freighters have ceased. The Airbus A321P2F operating lease plan published in 2023 has not been implemented and no date is published.
Authorized ground handling at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet covers cargo loading, apron support, catering, fuelling and hotel arrangements. Its maintenance approval from the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh covers checks up to C check, structural sheet metal work and refurbishment, plus third-party line checks and AOG support. It also arranges landing, overflight and technical stop permits.
In 1999 the company opened a cargo route from Bangkok to Dhaka with Boeing 707 freighters, extended cargo operations to Hong Kong International Airport in 2016, and has flown domestic cargo between Cox's Bazar, Jessore, Chittagong and Dhaka with HS 748 turboprop freighters. All of these routes used now retired types; no public information shows whether they currently operate.
The historical fleet included Boeing 747 widebody freighters, so the company has an intercontinental airframe background, but it has no freighter in service and no fixed Europe or US route today. For China–US and China–Europe traffic we can book capacity with the leading carriers on those routes; where a full-aircraft charter is genuinely needed we can assess several carriers with freighters in service and give a comparison.
Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited is based in Shenzhen, China, and specializes in international air freight from China to the United States and major markets worldwide. We book scheduled capacity from China to Bangladesh and can arrange cargo terminal handling, customs clearance and delivery at Dhaka, Chittagong and Sylhet, covering quoting, export declaration, air freight, customs clearance and delivery. Routing options and rates are available on request.
Disclaimer:Prepared by Goodhope Logistics (China) Limited (Goodhope Freight). Airline names, codes, trademarks and brand marks mentioned here belong to their respective owners. We are an independent international freight forwarder and have no affiliation, agency or investment relationship with this airline. The information is compiled from public sources for reference only and does not form a contract of carriage or a service commitment. Space, rates and schedules are subject to actual confirmation by the carrier or its authorized agent on the day of booking.