Editorial
Help Biman to its feet
Urgent overhaul imperative
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, has been in a state of disorder for quite a long time now. We have more or less got used to the news of its declining performance.
The severe cash crunch that it is faced with is cause for worry. It had to borrow Taka 20 crore from bank to pay salaries to its 2600-strong staff strength in April. It owes more than Taka 20 crore to Padma Oil while its London office is in debt of over Taka 49 crore to different airports and organsitions. It also owes Taka 125 crore to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh. Biman's earnings from ticket sales fell by more than Taka 100 crore between January 17 and April 30 this year. The statistics paint a dismal picture. It is now in a near-bankrupt situation.
Although Biman had accumulated Taka 510 crore in cash reserves in February 2008, it has gone in the red for the last three and a half years. Why is Biman persistently under such crisis when other airlines are doing good business operating in our routes?
Mismanagement, lack of planning and failure to operate flights on schedule have brought the national carrier to this perilous situation.
Biman is so cash-strapped that it cannot send its aircraft to Singapore for a routine check up, let alone purchase new ones. Corruption plagues the organization, some putting the drain at a whopping figure of Taka 700 crore.
It is high time the government took up some serious overhauling and streamlining in the management and operational areas of the organization. The government should help Biman realize the huge amount of arrears that different ministries and departments have run up with the Biman. Besides, the unbridled corruption should be brought to a speedy end.
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.
Comments