Tk 1.4cr compensation for death of passenger: Air Transport Bill passed

Parliament today passed "The Air Transport (Montreal Convention 1999) Bill, 2020" paving the way for an air passenger to get some USD 160,000 (Tk 1.4 crore) as compensation in case of death.

State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali moved the Bill in the House which was passed by a voice vote.

If the bill is transformed into law, it will also help ensure proper compensation for injuries to air passengers and damages to baggage or cargo goods in line with the Montreal Convention 1999.

Bangladesh is a signatory to the convention which deals with the passenger rights and compensation, but it had thus far not formed a law in this regard.

The Bill, if enacted as law, will give protection to air passengers.

Under it, passengers will get compensation for deaths and injuries, along with due to damages or delay of baggage and cargo goods.

Some USD 160,000 has been proposed as compensation for the death of a passenger, while USD 70 for damaging a kilogramme of baggage materials and USD 27 is for damaging a kg of cargo goods, the bill said.

According to the bill, the punishment for the violation of any provision of the bill by any airline would be maximum 10 years' in jail or Tk 100 crore fine.