The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has not yet requested an International Aviation Safety Assessment (IASA) from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). An IASA is required to meet safety standards for launching direct flights between Dhaka and New York.
The US Embassy in Dhaka issued a statement on Thursday clarifying this point. The statement quoted Daniel Jacob, the FAA attaché who recently visited Dhaka.
Mr Jacob met with the CAAB chair and officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs during his visit from June 9 to 12. Those meetings underscored the collaboration needed to achieve Bangladesh's goal of direct flights to New York.
Dhaka has been trying for a long time to resume direct air links with New York. However, these efforts have not been successful because Bangladesh has not achieved "Category 1" safety ratings.
The US Embassy statement, citing Mr Jacob, said Bangladesh needs a "Category 1" safety rating, which requires passing the FAA's IASA.
A "Category 1" rating signifies that Bangladesh complies with essential International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) standards and recommended practices.
The statement added that the FAA conducts IASAs for "Category 1" ratings at the requesting country's aviation authority's request. CAAB has not yet submitted a request for an IASA to the FAA.
If CAAB achieves a "Category 1" rating, the US Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will then conduct a separate assessment and inspection to ensure Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and Biman Bangladesh Airlines meet relevant security requirements for direct US-Bangladesh flights.
Direct flights between Dhaka and New York by national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines have been suspended since 2006 due to safety concerns.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines currently operates scheduled flights to 23 international destinations, including Toronto, Rome, London and Manchester, and eight domestic destinations. The airline has a fleet of 21 state-of-the-art aircraft.
Efforts to regain "Category 1" safety ratings have been ongoing for several years. As part of these efforts, Biman has also purchased 12 new-generation aircraft from US manufacturer Boeing. Security at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport has also been strengthened.
Daniel Jacob said, "For the past several years, the FAA and TSA have been providing free technical assistance to CAAB and Biman Airlines to achieve international safety and security standards. The US government is also providing free airport screening equipment to Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport and providing training to Bangladeshi aviation officials so that Bangladesh can meet the highest international security standards."
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