2 more Dreamliners to join Biman fleet this year, 3 Dash-8 next yearState minister urges pilots to ensure flight safety

FT ONLINE

Highly lauding efficiency of Bangladeshi pilots, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali has urged pilots to identify different challenges in improving flight safety standards in order to curb airplane accidents.

The state minister made the call while inaugurating the Asia-Pacific Regional Meeting of the International Federation of Air Line Pilots' Associations (IFALPA) a hotel in Dhaka on Monday.

Pilots from 19 countries – Bangladesh, Australia, Canada, China, Fiji, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Mongolia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Thailand and the USA – are taking part in the four-day meeting.

“I have called upon all the aviation stakeholders to ensure safe flying in order to reduce airplane accidents,” he said

Highly lauding efficiency of Bangladeshi pilots, the state minister said whenever he flies in any local airlines especially Biman Bangladesh Airlines, he feels comfortable and relaxed because he knows he is in good hands of Bangladeshi pilots.

“Our Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina always says, Biman pilots are one of the best pilots of the world,” the state minister added.

Ali described various recent initiatives taken by the government to ensure financial sustainability in the aviation sector as well as support the Air Cargo Industry.

Md Mahbub Ali also said Biman Bangladesh Airlines will get two more new Dreamliners with the latest technology to its fleet by December this year and three Dash-8 planes to its fleet by June, 2020.

Earlier, National flag carrier Biman signed a deal with Canadian Commercial Corporation to buy three Dash 8 Q400 aircraft from Canada's Bombardier to transport the passenger on short routes.

The minister, in his speech, mentioned undergoing mega projects, including the construction of the third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport, construction of new terminal buildings as well as an expansion of runways at Chattogram, Sylhet, Cox’s Bazar and Jashore airports.

Besides, he said a project is being implemented to ensure the security of all international airports in Bangladesh in line with the recommendation of the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO).

“Infrastructural development will support our booming (aviation) industry and convert our visions as well as dreams to success stories … the government is committed to achieving the target,” he added.

Biman’s Board Chairman Air Marshal (retd) Enamul Bari, Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshall Mohammed Mofidur Rahman, IFALPA President Captain Jack Netskar, Executive Vice President Captain Ishtiaque Hossain and Bangladesh airlines pilots association (BAPA) President Captain Mahbubur Rahman also spoke at the inaugural session.