Irregularities in leasing Egypt Air planes: ACC questions 7 CAAB officials

Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) has questioned seven officials of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) over two days as part of the investigation against allegation of irregularities over Biman Bangladesh Airlines processing two Egypt Air planes in 2009-14.

Deputy Director of ACC Public Relations, Muhammad Arif Sadeq, said that the CAAB officials were questioned as the irregularities cost the national flag carrier a loss of Tk1,100 crore.

The Commission quizzed principal assistant director of CAAB, Saiful Haque, air worthness consultant Golam Sarwar, BFCC manager Sadequl Islam Bhuiyan and Kamal Uddin Ahmed today while chief engineer (maintenance) SM Siddique, principal engineer (I and QA) SM Hanif and principal engineer (MCC) Devesh Choudhury were interrogated yesterday.

However, director of flight operation and team leader of inspection team Israt Ahmed did not face the interrogation on the first day of the interrogation.

A team led by ACC Deputy Director Md Salahuddin and Assistant Director Jasmine Akhter is investigating the allegation.

On April 24, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism recommended the investigation.

According to the Commission, Biman Bangladesh lost Tk 1,100 crores for leasing aircraft from Egypt Air in 2014.

The engines of one of the aircraft were damaged after operating a flight in February 2015 while the national flag carrier Biman rented another engine from Egypt Air.

The rented engine was damaged a year and a half later while another engine was rented and the last engine was sent to another company in the United States for servicing without a timeline.

The Commission said it will question more officials if it found the information.