“Bangladesh won’t become regional hub without effective aviation sector”

Bangladesh won't be able to become a regional aviation hub without an effective aviation sector in the country, top bosses of the country's air operators and aviation experts said today.

Addressing a seminar at a city hotel, they said the very high rate and regular increase of jet fuel, huge obstacles in import of spare parts, excessive duty and tax on different parts, are among some main reasons for which the country's private airlines couldn't sustain.

Bangladesh Monitor, a weekly magazine on aviation and tourism, organized the seminar titled, "Prospect of Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub."

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman presented the keynote paper in the seminar while Md Abdullah Al Mamun, US-Bangla Airlines managing director, Mofizur Rahman, managing director, Novoair, Zahid Hossain, Biman Bangladesh Airlines' director, administration and human resources, marketing and sales, Wing Com ATM Nazrul Islam, managing director, United Airways Bangladesh, among others, participated in the discussion.

The participants mainly discussed the existing hurdles and opportunities in the development of Bangladesh aviation sector, and how to harness the potentials in establishing Bangladesh as a regional aviation hub.

Novoair boss Mafizur in his speech said before the present government came to power in 2009, the number of passengers in the domestic sector was only 3 lakh while the number of passengers rose to 30 lakh in 2019.

He said the growth rate in the number of passengers is the contribution of the private airlines.

"But due to various reasons, the country's private airlines couldn't stand on a solid ground and high rate of jet fuel, huge obstacles in import of spare parts, excessive duty and tax on different parts, are among some main reasons for it," he also said.

He also noted that uneven competition between Biman and the private airlines and undue favour to the national airlines by the government is also another main reason for which the private aviation sector is facing a crisis.

In this regard, the Novoair MD cited examples of closing down of GMG, United, and Regent Airlines.

He also strongly demanded to form an independent "Bangladesh Airport Authority" to ensure better services to the service recipients.

The CAAB chairman in his keynote speech said the number of passengers are increasing in the country every year following the Covid-19 pandemic.

That shows Bangladesh's prospect in the aviation sector is very high, he added.