Biman flight faces technical issues again

A Dhaka-bound Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight experienced a mechanical failure in Singapore yesterday.

According to Biman sources, after nearly two hours of repairs, the Boeing 737 aircraft departed for Dhaka, causing inconvenience to the 172 passengers on board.

This was the fourth incident in a span of just 10 days where a Biman flight had to face delays or return mid-air.

On Saturday morning, flight BG-585 of Biman landed at Singapore Changi International Airport from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka. While preparing to depart for Dhaka with 172 passengers, a technical problem was detected.

Passengers were taken to the airport lounge while engineers worked for two hours to fix the engine issue.

Such technical failures have become common for Biman flights.

For example, a flight to Dammam returned mid-air due to a technical issue on July 28, while an Abu Dhabi-bound flight had to return after a toilet malfunction on Friday.

Last Wednesday, a Bangkok-bound flight returned mid-air because of unusual engine vibrations.

Due to such frequent technical problems on Biman flights, passengers have grown anxious and increasingly dissatisfied.

They expressed concern about their safety because of these repeated incidents.

Sources say Biman's Boeing 737 and Dash 8 aircraft have recently been experiencing recurring technical faults.

Aviation experts believe these problems are caused by negligence in timely repairs and maintenance, as well as a shortage of skilled manpower.

As a result, flight schedules are disrupted and passenger confidence is rapidly declining.

Several senior Biman pilots told The Daily Star that if this continues, the airline's reputation will suffer greatly. They have advised immediate action, modernisation of maintenance processes, and strict adherence to safety standards.

Yesterday, after the issue of BG-585, the flight's captain apologised to passengers and assured them that all measures would be taken for a safe journey.

However, passengers said assurances alone are not enough and called for practical solutions and consistent safety guarantees.