The October 18 fire at the Cargo Village of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka has brought fresh attention to Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ ground-handling operations. The national carrier, which holds the lease of the Cargo Village, has been identified as one of the entities responsible for the incident. The investigation committee formed after the fire has recommended limiting Biman’s activities strictly to flight operations and transferring ground handling and other segments to a more efficient operator. A source at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism informed Bonik Barta that the recommendations are being taken into consideration. However, he indicated that rather than fully removing Biman from ground handling, the ministry is considering appointing an additional operator to create competition in the sector.
Many aviation experts disagree with the committee’s recommendation. They argue that the fire stemmed from mismanagement and that the responsibility lies with Biman officials. They also say restricting Biman’s activities cannot be a viable solution; rather, having an alternative ground handler is necessary.
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, manages ground handling at all airports alongside operating scheduled international and domestic flights. The government has also decided in principle to assign Biman the ground-handling duties at the newly built third terminal of Shahjalal International Airport for two years. Apart from ground-handling, Biman manages cargo services, provides inflight meals in various airlines, including Biman itself through the Biman Flight Catering Centre (BFCC), produces and markets various goods through Biman Poultry Complex, and operates the Bangladesh Airlines Training Centre (BATC) to produce skilled aviation professionals.
The investigation committee recommended limiting Biman’s activities to flight operations only. Although removing Biman from ground handling is stated in the report, it did not clarify Biman’s other commercial ventures.
Repeated attempts to obtain comments regarding the fire incident from Biman’s Managing Director, Md Shafiqur Rahman, yesterday were unsuccessful. When asked about this issue by Bonik Barta, Biman’s spokesperson and Director (Public Relations), Boshra Islam, also declined to comment.
Meanwhile, a senior official at the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism said the ministry is giving consideration to the committee’s recommendations. Speaking on condition of anonymity, he told Bonik Barta, “There is a lack of a sound ‘Exclusive Capacity’ for any organization. It pushes the organization towards corruption. We want to create a competitive environment for ground-handling services at the airport. Biman will remain, but there is a plan to bring another operator.”
Ground handling is a part of airport operations and maintenance. It includes guiding aircraft after landing, towing them to parking bays, attaching stairs to doors, loading and unloading baggage, cleaning aircraft interiors, and managing check-in counters.
Yet, ground-handling services at airports across Bangladesh, including Dhaka, have faced widespread complaints. Allegations against Biman include unprofessional baggage handling, theft and tampering, poor check-in and checkout services, gold and narcotics smuggling, harassment of migrant workers, and organised schemes to transport excess luggage without taxes.
Most passengers are dissatisfied with Biman’s ground handling. A recent survey of migrant workers who travelled on Biman found that 97 percent were unhappy with the service quality. Foreign airlines operating in Bangladesh are also demanding alternatives to Biman as the ground handler. A survey by the Shahjalal International Airport authority found that 93 percent of airlines want multiple ground handlers at the airport’s new third terminal.
Despite these allegations against Biman, Aviation Expert ATM Nazrul Islam disagrees with restricting Biman’s activities only to the flight operations. He told Bonik Barta, “Biman Bangladesh Airlines is a commercial organisation. It is completely unreasonable to dictate what business it can or cannot operate. The Cargo Village fire has no relation to Biman’s commercial activities. I don’t understand why the investigation committee recommended this. If Biman made mistakes, hold it accountable; but no one can limit its business.”
He further added, “We know Biman has an image crisis in ground handling. Passengers and airlines are both unhappy with their service. If Biman cannot perform well, we should have built alternatives long ago. In the last 50 years, that necessary step wasn’t taken. The question is why Biman could not grow into a better organisation in five decades, and the senior officials should take accountability. I do not blame Biman as an institution. That responsibility lies with those who ran the airline. Limiting its operations to flight handling alone cannot be the solution.”