3 defunct airlines owe CAAB Tk 1,192cr

Four domestic airlines, three of which are now defunct, owe BDT 1,222 crore to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) for various aeronautical and non-aeronautical fees.

The four airlines are Regent Airways, United Airways, GMG Airlines and Novoair. Of them, only Novoair is now in operation.

CAAB is owed over Tk 1,192 by the three defunct airlines.

CAAB yesterday placed this information before the parliamentary standing committee on the Civil Aviation Ministry during a meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Sources in CAAB said the aviation authority is owed the money by the four airlines in landing, parking, housing of aircraft and route navigation and embarkation fees.

The CAAB solely depends on the fees to meet its revenue expenses and finance its development projects.

Earlier, the committee wanted to know how much money CAAB would get from the country's domestic airlines in arrears.

According to the CAAB report, the regulatory authority will get a total of Tk 1,222 crore 98 lakh 25 thousand from Regent Airways, Novo Air, United Airways and GMG Airlines.

As of last May, two other private airlines, US Bangla and Air Astra, both of which are still in business, have no dues, it added.

In its report, CAAB said Regent Air owes it more than Tk 408 crore and GMG Airlines owes more than Tk 394 crore. United Airways has arrears of more than Tk 388 crore while Novoair owes more than Tk 29 crore.

The parliamentary watchdog recommended taking necessary measures to realise the money from the respective private airlines, meeting sources said.

In the meeting, Mokammel Hossain, secretary of the civil aviation ministry, informed that Biman has identified 4 new routes -- Male, Chennai, Rome and Sydney -- based on passengers' demand.

However, he said the purchase of new aircraft is a must to launch those.

Mokammel said discussions are going on with Airbus, a European multinational aerospace corporation, to procure new aircraft.

"Necessary steps will be taken following a feasibility study," he added.

Meanwhile, the parliamentary committee yesterday also recommended widening the road from Cox's Bazar airport to the city on an urgent basis. It also recommended beautification of the road.

It also suggested maintaining the cleanliness of the Cox's Bazar beach and directed coordinated actions of authorities concerned to implement the recommended works.

Awami League MP RAM Obaidul Muktadir Chowdhury chaired the meeting. Committee members Mosharraf Hossain, Ashek Ullah, Syeda Rubina Akhtar, Kaniz Fatema Ahmed participated in the meeting.

JS BODY ON ROADS

Meanwhile, the parliamentary committee on the road, transport and bridges ministry yesterday wanted to know why the same contractors get work under the roads and highway ministry repeatedly.

The parliamentary watchdog asked the ministry to submit an investigation report in the next meeting in this regard.

Jatiya Party MP and chairman of the standing committee Rawsan Ara Manna presided over the meeting at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

Committee members Md Abu Zahir, Md Salim Uddin Tarafder, Sheikh Salahuddin, Rabeya Alim and Marina Jahan participated in the meeting.