Graft, irregularities grip Biman

Besides having 'serious' corruption and irregularities, there is no accountability in Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd which might lead the national airliner to nosedive, observed a parliamentary body.
It also said Biman's top officials were involved in irregularities in leasing an aircraft, Boeing 770-400, ignoring the interests of the national flag carrier.
The parliamentary standing committee on civil aviation and tourism ministry formed a three-member sub-committee to probe the alleged irregularities in the leasing procedure.
Headed by Whip Mujibul Haque, the probe body was asked to submit their report within 15 days. Syed Mohsin Ali and Shafiqur Rahman Chowdhury are the other members of the sub-committee.
“Biman's top management are running the national airliner on their own. There is no accountability in Biman. If situation goes like that, we fear Biman will nosedive instead of flying in the sky”, Mosharrof Hossain, chief of the parliamentary body, told reporters after a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
Moyeen Uddin Khan Badal, a member of the parliamentary body, said we have found that irregularities took place in taking lease of an aircraft. “The top officials of Biman totally ignored the interest of Biman while leasing the aircraft”, he said.
Badal, also a Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal lawmaker, said the committee asked the Biman authorities to submit all documents related to the leasing to the parliamentary sub-committee and the ministry within next five days.
Badal said the Biman authorities primarily selected Air Atlanta to lease two 747-400 aircrafts at higher rate, ignoring the lowest bidder Kabo Air of Nigeria. About $ 309 million will be spent to have these aircrafts, he said. “Biman has to pay an additional amount of at least $ 300 per hour for leasing the aircraft from the Air Atlanta”.
The committee chief said a high-powered team, led by Civil Aviation Minister GM Quader, would leave Dhaka for America on September 10 to inform the Federal Aviation of America (FFA) about the steps taken by the Bangladesh civil aviation to turn it to category "A" civil aviation from category "B". According to the FAA, no flight from category "B" civil aviation will be allowed for landing in the USA.