Sylhet Gains Historic Airline Link as Markets Strain Under Food Price Surge
A landmark week for Sylhet: Oman's budget carrier SalamAir inaugurated direct scheduled flights from Muscat, making history as the first foreign airline to serve the city, while local markets continue to struggle with elevated vegetable, chicken, and egg prices driven by monsoon crop damage. Separately, Bangladesh announced a significant national security development with the opening of its first dedicated border surveillance and drone warfare training institution, and a disturbing criminal case near the Sylhet border drew national attention.
🏢 SalamAir Makes History as First Foreign Airline to Serve Sylhet with Direct Muscat Flights
Oman's low-cost carrier SalamAir has launched its inaugural direct flight between Muscat International Airport and Sylhet's Osmani International Airport, becoming the first foreign airline ever to operate scheduled services to the city. Sylhet now stands as SalamAir's third destination in Bangladesh, alongside Dhaka and Chittagong, reflecting the airline's growing commitment to the Bangladeshi market and to expatriate communities in the Gulf. The inaugural flight departed Muscat with a load factor of approximately 70 percent, which analysts described as an encouraging sign of demand for a new route. Ahead of the departure, SalamAir's chief executive Adrian Hamilton-Manns met with Bangladesh's Charge d'Affaires in Oman, Mahmudur Rahman, underscoring the diplomatic as well as commercial significance of the launch. For the large Sylheti community working in Oman — among the most prominent overseas Bangladeshi labour destinations — the new route eliminates the need to transit through Dhaka or Chittagong, cutting journey times and connecting costs. Travel industry observers noted that Sylhet's Osmani Airport has long been underserved by foreign carriers despite having one of Bangladesh's busiest overseas passenger bases, particularly among British-Bangladeshis returning via Oman. The airline is expected to operate multiple weekly frequencies, and early bookings indicate consistent demand. [6]
🍛 High Vegetable, Chicken, and Egg Prices Continue to Burden Sylhet Households
Consumers in Sylhet city are contending with persistently elevated food prices, with most vegetables trading above Tk 80 per kilogram at key markets including Ambarkhana Bazar. Excessive rainfall across the country's main vegetable-producing regions has damaged standing crops and sharply reduced supply, and traders say the shortage is the primary driver of the price spike. Brinjal, green beans, and several other staples remain well above their seasonal averages. Chicken and egg prices have also risen in recent weeks, compounding the burden on lower-income families who depend on these proteins as everyday affordability benchmarks. The one modest relief has come from green chilli: two weeks ago prices had surged to between Tk 400 and Tk 500 per kilogram, but improved imports have brought the rate down to Tk 200 to Tk 240 per kilogram depending on quality and market location. Traders anticipate that prices will ease once the monsoon withdraws and field conditions improve, but no timeline is clear. Consumer groups have called on local authorities to monitor wholesale margins and prevent any artificial inflation on top of genuine supply constraints. The situation is being felt most sharply by day-wage earners and small household budgets in the city's older residential neighbourhoods. [7]
🗳️ Bangladesh Opens First Border Surveillance and Drone Warfare School to Strengthen Frontier Security
Bangladesh has inaugurated its first dedicated institution for border surveillance and drone warfare training, a significant milestone for the Border Guard Bangladesh and for the country's broader defence modernisation push. The school is designed to equip personnel with the skills needed to monitor Bangladesh's extensive land and river frontiers using unmanned aerial systems, electronic surveillance tools, and integrated sensor networks. Officials described the facility as a direct response to evolving cross-border threats including smuggling, irregular migration, and infiltration, all of which have placed increasing pressure on ground-level border units. The Sylhet division, which shares a long and ecologically complex frontier with India's northeastern states, is among the areas expected to benefit from upgraded surveillance capacity. Drone-based monitoring has been used in limited trials along the Sylhet border, and the new school is intended to professionalise and standardise that capability across all border regions. Defence analysts noted that the establishment of a specialised training centre signals Bangladesh's intent to move beyond conventional patrol methods toward a technology-integrated approach to border governance. The development comes as Bangladesh deepens its defence relationships with several countries, including those supplying drone and surveillance technology, as part of a wider effort to modernise its security apparatus. [5]
Young Woman Allegedly Gang-Raped After 13-Day Confinement Near Sylhet Border; One Arrested
A deeply troubling criminal case has emerged from the Sylhet border zone, where a young woman was allegedly gang-raped after being held against her will for 13 days. One accused has been arrested, and the case has drawn sharp condemnation from civil society organisations and women's rights advocates. Law enforcement confirmed an investigation is underway. Reports indicate the woman was detained by a group of individuals in a location near the international border, a corridor that community workers have flagged as vulnerable due to limited surveillance and the transient nature of cross-border activity. The case has renewed calls from local organisations for increased police presence, improved lighting, and faster response mechanisms in border-adjacent communities that are often remote from central law enforcement infrastructure. Advocacy groups in Sylhet have urged the courts to prioritise the case and ensure the survivor receives both legal support and psychological care. Victims' rights organisations have called for systemic reforms to the handling of gender-based violence cases in Bangladesh's border districts, noting that case attrition rates remain high due to social pressure on survivors and their families to withdraw complaints. Local councillors and women's groups are expected to organise a public meeting to demand accountability and preventive measures. [1]
Sources: [6] Biz Today · [7] The Financial Express · [5] The Daily Star · [1] United News of Bangladesh