Biman asked to pay off Tk 135cr arrears

To exert pressure to pay Tk 135 crore arrears, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has renewed Air Operation Certificate (AOC) of Biman Bangladesh Airlines for three months instead of usual one year for using Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
"We have asked Biman in a letter to pay off the debt. We have also asked the authorities to inform when they will be able to pay the arrears if not now," said a top Caab official seeking anonymity.
The debt to the CAAB has piled up since 2007 as Biman has not been paying charges for parking and aeronautical services.
However, Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed, chairman of the Biman board of directors, told The Daily Star that he was not aware of the matter.
He said Biman pays arrears to the CAAB from time to time.
Biman also owes around Tk 65 crore to the CAAB for using Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong and Osmani International Airport in Sylhet.
The CAAB extended the AOC on Thursday for three months from February 25 as the previous certificate for using Shahjalal airport expires today, CAAB officials said.
However, it could not be known whether Biman has received the letter.
CAAB sources said the arrears have been accumulated since Biman turned into a public limited company in 2007 when the government exempted it from debts of over Tk 1,194 crore to Bangladesh Petroleum Corporation and over Tk 573 crore to the CAAB.