JS body slams Biman top brass for Tk 1,000cr damage to 8 aircraft

The parliamentary standing committee on civil aviation ministry today came down heavily on Biman's respective top officials for damaging of interiors of several aircraft of Biman Bangladesh Airlines while transporting cargo items for more than a year since March 2020.

Many seats, handle, entertainment system, interior decoration, toilets, floors, and overhead cabin baggage of around eight aircraft -- four new four Boeing 777-300ER, two Boeing 737 and two other leased aircraft -- were badly damaged, sources in Biman told The Daily Star.

The damage is worth around Tk 1,000 crore, added the sources.

The parliamentary body said Biman's top management is responsible for the huge damage to those aircraft in a bid to earn a profit worth several crore taka.

The parliamentary watchdog also asked Biman's Managing Director and CEO Dr Abu Saleh Mostafa Kamal to come up with the details of those incidents before the committee's next meeting scheduled to be held within a month.

"The committee wanted to know why Biman's respective officials were not careful to protect its valuable equipment and interiors while turning the passenger flights into cargo flights during the Covid-19 pandemic," a member of the committee and Awami League MP told The Daily Star after the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban, wishing to be anonymous.

It is understandable that Biman wanted to generate some income through operating cargo flights when there was almost no passenger flight during the global Covid-19 pandemic, the lawmaker said, adding "But it cannot be acceptable that you will damage the aircraft's seats and many other interior items in the name of earning some income".

Another lawmaker, who was also present at today's meeting, said they came to know from media reports that Biman has caused a loss of around Tk 1,000 crore due to the damages.

"We also wanted to know whether any syndicate was involved in this process," the lawmaker added.

Meanwhile, sources in Biman said the national flag carrier authorities have formed an internal committee to investigate the matter.