Biman pilots demand probe into “irregularities in recent recruitment”

Bangladesh Airline Pilots' Association today demanded that the authorities of the national flag carrier carry out investigation regarding irregularities in recent recruitment of contractual pilots and anomalies in the training department "causing huge financial loss to Biman".

In a letter to Biman's Managing Director and CEO Zahid Hossain, the association said, "We have pointed out at different times that the way contractual pilots are being recruited on contract is beyond regulation."

The responsibility of the recruitment was given to the Chief of Training whose own wife was a candidate and which was surely a conflict of interest, the letter said.

"The recruitment could have been done within the legal and ethical framework, which would have best suited the airline and its pilots. But the way recruitment was done, it has seriously tarnished the image of the national flag carrier and the pilot community. We, the pilot community, are not ready to take any responsibility for the misdeeds of any individual," the letter reads.

Citing several examples of misdeeds, the letter claimed that spouse of an executive, who has a questionable professional record, has been recruited.

She stood first in her batch, which generated widespread criticism in the organisation since she was sent back to Bangladesh Airlines Training Center (BATC) by instructors for her lack of knowledge, the letter said, adding, "Now, She is having difficulties in continuing her training in B-777 fleet".

It also said, Biman's Operation Manual (OM-D) and the bilateral agreement with the pilots' platform was blatantly violated in the process of recruitment. Objection by platform was not taken into cognisance.

As operational manuals were violated, now the newly recruited contractual flight officer (F/O) will not be able to fly as regular F/O until they complete 300 hrs, the association said in the letter.

"Biman has spent huge amount of money for their training and now they have become liability for Biman. We heard that these F/Os will be given the opportunity to do 300 hrs of extra route training to cover up the violation which will give opportunity to a particular F/O to get her rating as she is struggling to comply with Biman standard of flying," the platform said.

The association also said there was no requirement of B777 captains, but crew requirement on the said fleet was falsely projected and personal emails were sent from the training department to candidates.

It also said, one of the F/O candidates who did not even have his ATPL subjects cleared, and slipped through the scrutiny with false documents. Not only that, he went on to complete his simulator training at Biman's expense. Not only that, it has created a misconception among general people that Biman pilots are flying with fake licenses, which has tarnished the image of the national flag carrier.

The platform also said being the junior-most captain in the B777 fleet, chief of training became instructor pilot bypassing his seniors and also the regulation, which is highly unethical. Now he is planning to go for a common rating, which will create dissatisfaction amongst the senior pilot, it added.

Because of negligence, a number of Biman pilots defaulted terms of their licenses and received warning letters from CAAB, it also said.