‘Biman fails to meet aviation standards’

Staff Reporter :

Planning Adviser Dr Wahiduddin Mahmud on Monday termed Biman Bangladesh Airlines a frail organization which incurred losses year after year.

“That (incurring loss) should not be, other airliners make profits, why Biman is under this deplorable condition,” he asked.

The adviser was speaking at the press briefing on the recently submitted report of a task-force to develop strategies to boost the economy and mobilise resources for equitable and sustainable development at the NEC conference room in the planning ministry.

He said that the Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus asked to find a way to make Biman a profitable organization.

“He asked to make Biman a modern and commercially profitable organization if we want to show something within this short period of time,” he said.

But here we have a more beautiful proposal in the report of the task-force.

The report stated that for over half a century, Bangladesh Biman, the national airline, has failed to meet modern aviation standards and performance benchmarks.

Its continued existence has largely depended on serving a captive market of migrant laborers, many of whom have reported poor service and inadequate services.

To ensure that Biman becomes a competitive player in the airline industry, the report proposed that the government must establish clear and measurable performance targets.

“Should Biman consistently fall short, we propose creating an entirely new airline-tentatively named Bangladesh Airways-utilizing half of Biman’s existing assets, but managed by an independent, world-class management company.”

This dual-structure approach allows both airlines to target distinct markets and routes and foster healthy competition.

If either airline fails to meet performance standards over a designated period, it must be permitted to exit the market, ensuring accountability and efficient service for travelers, the report said.

The adviser also ridiculed the concept to make a Air Force man as the chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines.