Biman makes profit for third year in a row

Biman Bangladesh Airlines logged in Tk 151 crore as gross profit for fiscal 2016-17, making it the third consecutive year that the national flag carrier has been in the black.

After clearing default tax, the net profit stood at Tk 47 crore, said a press release from the airline. It contributed Tk 381 crore to the national exchequer.

Biman recorded Tk 276 crore as profit for fiscal 2015-16 and Tk 324 crore for fiscal 2014-15.

Last fiscal year, Biman ferried a total of 23.51 lakh passengers, up 1.42 percent year-on-year. It also shipped 33,542 tonnes of cargo, down 18.05 percent from a year earlier.

The ban on direct freight to London has been blamed for the slump in cargo traffic.

Biman is now running its operation with 10 wide-bodied and two narrow-bodied updated and advanced aircraft to 15 international and seven domestic destinations. Four modern Boeing 787-8 Dreamliners are expected to join Biman's fleet in the next two years.