Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday asked the employees of Biman Bangladesh Airlines to work with maximum integrity to brighten the image of the airlines as well as the country.

"I want every single person in Biman to work with utmost sincerity so that it [Biman] does not earn a 'bad name'," she said.

The PM made the call while inaugurating the operation of the newly inducted 787 Dreamliner “Akashbeena” to Biman's fleet at the VVIP lounge of the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.

She emphasised on the quick delivery of passenger luggage using modern technology.

Sheikh Hasina also asked the officials concerned to give extra attention to security issues. "You must always give proper attention to the security matters in the airport."

In the recent past, she mentioned, some countries imposed sanctions on Bangladesh (cargo ban). "One country withdrew its sanction as security at our airports have improved," she said.

Briefly describing various government efforts to improve the service of the airlines, the prime minister said the government had reached a purchase agreement with Canada to acquire another three Dash-8 Bombardier aircrafts, aiming at increasing domestic connectivity.

She said the government was working for developing the country's airports as well. "The Cox's Bazar Airport runway has been expanded, while the modernisation of Sylhet airport has been completed. The work on Terminal-3 of Shahjalal International Airport will begin soon."

The prime minister added that the construction of a new airport in Bagerhat was ongoing.

Saying that connectivity was very important for a country, the PM further said, "Keeping that in mind, the government is working hard to improve air, rail, road and waterway connectivity."

She said a democratic process was continuous in the country as it advances towards the path of development.

"Bangladesh has earned the recognition as a role model of development in the world, we have to move further to uphold the achievement," she said.

For this purpose, Hasina said, the government was implementing a five-year plan, a 10-year perspective plan while Delta Plan-2100 had also been approved to develop the country over the next one hundred years.

Hasina stated that Bangladesh was marching ahead and sought cooperation of all in maintaining the ongoing trend of development.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the cockpit of Biman's brand new Boeing 787 Dreamliner yesterday. She inaugurated the commercial operation of the new plane at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport. Photo: PID

Civil Aviation and Tourism minister AKM Shajahan Kamal; Board of Directors of Biman Bangladesh Airlines chairman Air Marshal (retd) Muhammad Enamul Bari; Civil Aviation and Tourism secretary Mohibul Haque; and Biman Managing Director and CEO AM Mosaddique Ahmed also spoke at the inauguration.

“Akashbeena” is equipped with an in-flight entertainment system and onboard Wifi. Biman will allocate 10MB of free Wifi to each passenger, and they can buy more data if required.

The Dreamliner is a long-haul, mid-size, wide-bodied and twin-engine aircraft. It has the capacity of 271 seats and comes with state-of-the-art technology.