2 Boeing-777 leased from Egypt: Biman couldn’t trace retd captain Ishrat

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has claimed that they couldn't trace the airlines' retired captain Ishrat Ahmed -- a Canadian expatriate involved in taking lease of two Boeing-777 planes from Egypt in 2014 -- which led to huge losses for Biman.

Biman and the civil aviation ministry today came up with the reply following a parliamentary body's recommendation to manage the address and whereabouts of retd capt Ishrat.

This information has been revealed from the working paper of the meeting of the parliamentary committee on the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban today.

Awami League MP RAM Ubaidul Moktadir Chowdhury presided over the meeting.

Following a report of the parliamentary sub-committee formed to investigate the irregularities in taking lease of two Boeing-777 aircrafts from Egypt, the parliamentary watchdog summoned several officials of Biman involved with the lease process to appear before the committee and give their statements on the lease process that went against the interest of Biman.

Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed, former Biman managing director AM Mosaddique Ahmed, Capt Ishrat, among others' names surfaced who were involved in the leasing process.

Jamat Uddin and Mosaddique Ahmed have already appeared before the standing committee's meeting twice.

Leased from Egypt Air in 2014 for five years with stringent conditions that went against Biman's interests, the planes remained grounded from 2017, due to engine defects.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary body today expressed concern over the death of two cows as a Biman plane's wing collided with them on Cox's Bazar runway while taking off yesterday.

They recommended setting up a safety fence with barbed wire around the airport to avoid such incidents in the future.