HC asks Biman, govt to explain in two weeks

The High Court yesterday in a rule directed the government and Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd to explain within two weeks why the management of Biman should not be prevented from re-opening Dhaka-New York-Dhaka route that incurs a loss of Tk 40 lakh per flight.
The High Court bench of Justice Syed Refaat Ahmed and Justice Moyeenul Islam Chowdhury issued the rule upon a writ petition filed by Barrister Masood R Sobhan, a senior lawyer of the Supreme Court.
The court also said if the rule is not disposed of by December 31, the petitioner can move to this court for an order to stop the re-opening of the route after the period.
Masood R Sobhan filed the petition as a public interest litigation, on November 5, following a news story published in The Daily Star on October 22, titled " Biman plans for loss-prone NY route amid hitches."
He stated in the petition that Biman Bangladesh Airlines suffered a record loss of Tk 450 crore for the fiscal year 2005-06 as a result of which the loosing routes were closed down and then Biman started making profit instead of loosing.
"There could be no reason whatsoever to reopen the route where Biman readily admitted that it looses Tk 40 lakh per flight that means that it would be practically loosing Tk 60 lakh per flight and would loss Tk 624 crore in a year, it can not be allowed to happen," the petitioner said.
Barrister Masood R Sobhan assisted by Barrister Fatema S Chowdhury moved the petition.