✈️ Dhaka Permit Lead Times Shape Asian Mission Planning
In August 2026, the Bangladeshi Cabinet approved the draft Visa Policy 2026, increasing the number of visa categories from 33 to 34. The policy aims to facilitate the entry and exit of foreign nationals and attract investment, businesspeople, and technical talent. Meanwhile, the Aeronyx operations guide indicates that Dhaka International Airport has full CIQ capabilities, but PPR requirements apply at Bangladesh’s international airports: permits for general traffic, non-traffic operations, and overflights must generally be requested four business days in advance, while landing permits for a series of non-scheduled missions require 15 business days’ advance notice. The latest CAAB AIP and NOTAMs must also be checked. Avi-Go data show that, counting each landing at the airport as one arrival, the top 10 origin cities for international business aviation arrivals at Dhaka International Airport accounted for 36 arrivals from May 20 to August 17, 2026. Bangkok recorded 11 arrivals, Singapore nine, and Seoul six, for a combined 26 arrivals; Dubai and Baku each recorded two. The Seoul figure includes five arrivals from Incheon and one from Gimpo, while Bangkok is represented by Don Mueang Airport and Singapore by Seletar Airport, indicating that the main international arrivals over the past 90 days were concentrated in Asian cities.
Impact: The standard four-business-day permit lead time directly limits the operational flexibility of ad hoc business missions, while the 15-business-day requirement makes a series of non-scheduled missions more dependent on advance scheduling. Bangkok, Singapore, and Seoul accounted for 26 of the international arrivals from the top 10 cities, making operators and mission organizers on these routes the most directly affected by permit lead-time constraints.
Recommendation: For one-off missions involving Dhaka, permit documentation should be submitted at least four business days before the planned operating date; a series of non-scheduled missions should be planned around the 15-business-day lead time. Future developments to monitor include the formal implementation arrangements for Visa Policy 2026 and how the policy will interface with the existing PPR process for the entry of business travelers.