Bangladesh's Minister of Civil Aviation and Tourism Rashed Khan Menon has proposed the governments of Vietnam and Bangladesh to renew the aviation agreement signed more than two decades ago to facilitate a direct air link between the two countries.

The minister made the proposal at a meeting between leaders of the Ministry of Transport on Tuesday.

He said the implementation of the agreement has been slow since it was inked in 1992. Therefore, Bangladesh suggests the pact be revised to pave the way for the launch of direct flights linking the two countries.

Vietnam’s Deputy Transport Minister Nguyen Hong Truong threw support behind the proposal, saying that relevant agencies of the two countries should coordinate to prepare for renewal of the agreement before forwarding it to the governments for consideration and approval so that it could be signed soon.

Truong said opening the direct air service required close cooperation between enterprises of the two countries, especially travel firms. Travel demand will increase if business activities between the two sides are strengthened.