Bureaucratic tangles mar aviation prospects
The delays in obtaining permission for import of spare parts for rectifications and overhauling of aircraft, age-old import payment options and absence of modern airport approach facilities are holding back the local aviation industry to flourish further.
The absence of modern airspace and air traffic management at the airport and high price of jet fuel are also a constant source of worry for the industry.
The Aviation Operators Association of Bangladesh (AOAB) identified the obstacles and shared their observation at a dialogue with the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) yesterday.
The event on the "Regulator-operator dialogue on essentials to develop aviation sector" took place at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in the capital.
AOAB President Anjan Chowdhury presided over the seminar while CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman was present as the chief guest.
Entrepreneurs enter Bangladesh's aviation industry with a dream to establish and turn an airline into a unicorn enterprise, said AOAB Secretary General Mofizur Rahman while presenting his keynote speech at the seminar.
But the dream unicorn turns into a back-breaking donkey when the airline fails to sustain because of piling up burdens of different kinds of problems, he said.
For example, he said, "We need hundreds of spares to import and export parts for rectifications and overhaul of aircraft. Sometimes it takes months to obtain permission for import and export."
Besides, worldwide parts trading is done on advance payments through telegraphic transfer of funds, he said.
In Bangladesh, only mode of payments is the letter of credit, which makes it impossible to keep servicing the aircraft.
"Most of our airports run with age-old airport approach facilities. Even gateway airport of the country HSIA has CAT 1 approach."
"We heard almost over a decade and a half ago that the country is going to have modern ATM facilities. But nothing tangible is still in sight."
Bangladesh has a very thriving helicopter industry with over 10 operators and 35 helicopters, which will soon hit 50, he said.
"The industry is making a tremendous contribution to our economy. But every possible harness is tying up the helicopter horse."
Helicopters have the ability to operate from elevated helipads and rooftops and even land on hospital roofs with patients. All of these are allowed in every country of the world except for Bangladesh, he said.
"We need to correct our course of actions following examples of the surrounding countries."
Senior officials of CAAB and AOAB were also present at the programme.
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