The nation would find it difficult to accept that out of sheer desperation Biman authorities took the decision to cut as many as eight international flights and reduce flight frequency on some profitable routes like Dhaka-Riyadh, Dhaka-Kuwait, Dhaka-London and Dhaka-Rome. A large number of expatriate Bangladeshis in these routes prefer to fly the national airline. Surely by backtracking from such prestigious routes we have only exposed our inefficiency in managing our affairs and how much we lacked in vision.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines is our national flag-carrier and the successive governments have pumped in colossal amounts of money to keep it floating. But rampant corruption, nepotism, recruitment of inefficient manpower, purchase of faulty aircraft at double the price and corrupt management by unskilled hands damaged the very foundation of the organisation in last 35 years. Biman's market share in recent times has shrunk to around 32 per cent from 57 per cent in 1991. The recent decision to turn the organisation into a public limited company came as a last minute bid to save the airline from a major crash landing. With not so encouraging stock in trade to start with, the new company will have to build the airline brick by brick to face the challenges in a competitive market.

We strongly feel that there is no option left but to rescue the national flag-carrier from the present moribund state by adding more aircraft, firing all corrupt elements, improving passenger services and restructuring the international flight schedule. The option of hiring management consultants of international repute can be kept in view for the greater interest of the airline.

The dwindling goodwill of Biman Bangladesh Airlines has to be stemmed at all costs and its potential for commercial viability has to be fully realised.