Minister suggests job cut of aged Biman staff

Expressing dissatisfaction over delay in luggage handling at airports, Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shahjahan Kamal today suggested cutting jobs of aged employees of the national carrier to gear up its operations.

Among the employees who are old and not able to perform their duties sincerely should be sacked following rules and benefits, Shahjahan Kamal said.

"Tell me how many days you need to solve this problem and let me know what you need," he asked the Biman Bangladesh Airlines authorities.

The minister said this at a pre-budget programme at Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) which was organised by Aviation and Tourism Journalists Forum of Bangladesh (ATJFB).

The minister said he was forced to criticise the airliner for its mismanagement and sufferings of passengers in getting their luggage.

Imran Asif,chief executive officer (CEO) of US-Bangla Airlines, in his speech said that if the discrepancy of fuel prices between domestic and foreign airliners is not resolved no domestic airliner will survive in five years’ time.

At present, a domestic airliner pays Tk 91 per litre for fuel, whereas, a foreign airliner pays Tk 65 per litre, he said.

Asif also demanded that landing, parking, navigation and security charges for the domestic airliners should be reduced.

The civil aviation minister assured that he would talk about reducing fuel prices with the finance minster.