Biman 'milking cow' for vested quarters

Civil aviation and tourism minister Ghulam Muhammed Quader has said "some powerful vested quarters" is using Biman Bangladesh Airlines as a "milking cow", forcing the national carrier to struggle.

bdnews24.com
Published : 18 July 2010, 03:00 AM
Updated : 18 July 2010, 03:00 AM
Dhaka, Jul 18 (bdnews24.com)--Civil aviation and tourism minister Ghulam Muhammed Quader has said "some powerful vested quarters" is using Biman Bangladesh Airlines as a "milking cow", forcing the national carrier to struggle.
"We are working hard to eliminate these influences. Reform of Biman is essential as it cannot continue on its current mode of operation for long," the minister added.
He was speaking at a seminar in the capital on Sunday arranged by the Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry on prospects and challenges of the civil aviation and tourism sector.
Elaborating on the government steps to bring on the required reform, Quader revealed that shares of the national carrier will soon be floated in the capital market as part of its privatisation process that aims to increase efficiency.
In relation to the Bangladesh Parjatan Corporation, the minister also said that its lack of success was due to "management failure" by the government.
The capital's top trade body spared no barbs in its criticism of Biman and Parjatan Corporation.
"Eighty percent of the air travel market is in the clutches of foreign carriers proving Biman's failure to address the country's market," pointed out DCCI president Abul Kashem.
Speakers at the seminar urged formulation of a new policy about civil aviation and tourism that will encourage and facilitate growth of private ventures in this sector.
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