Making Biman operationally effective
Monday, 31 December 2007
BANGLADESH Biman, the national airline and flag carrier of the country round the world, appears to be in dire straits to keep itself from sinking into a state of complete loss of viability. Biman's annual losses continue to hit record.
The national airline has witnessed growth in the demand for its services in the recent years. This has been created mainly by Bangladeshi expatriate workers. A good number of well trained professionals serve Biman expertly and they add to its appeal among customers. A national airline can act like the ambassador of a country by presenting a sound profile of it abroad. Biman has been playing this role relatively satisfactorily for many years which is a justification for carrying on with its operations. Now that Biman has been converted into a public limited company and a new board has been constituted for it, the action plan for its restructuring and reforms should be finalised and operationalised at the fastest.
Among the steps to cure the ills of Biman, finding a strategic partner for it can be an important step. If such a partner is found, it will have to address issues such as preparing realistic flight schedules and to run them efficiently with the existing fleet strength. A plan can be devised and implemented to close down loss making routes of Biman. Enforcing accountability and transparency in all operations of the national airline should also be a priority.
Mazharul Haque
Baridhara, Dhaka
The national airline has witnessed growth in the demand for its services in the recent years. This has been created mainly by Bangladeshi expatriate workers. A good number of well trained professionals serve Biman expertly and they add to its appeal among customers. A national airline can act like the ambassador of a country by presenting a sound profile of it abroad. Biman has been playing this role relatively satisfactorily for many years which is a justification for carrying on with its operations. Now that Biman has been converted into a public limited company and a new board has been constituted for it, the action plan for its restructuring and reforms should be finalised and operationalised at the fastest.
Among the steps to cure the ills of Biman, finding a strategic partner for it can be an important step. If such a partner is found, it will have to address issues such as preparing realistic flight schedules and to run them efficiently with the existing fleet strength. A plan can be devised and implemented to close down loss making routes of Biman. Enforcing accountability and transparency in all operations of the national airline should also be a priority.
Mazharul Haque
Baridhara, Dhaka