US-Bangla plane crash: Victims’ families in the dark about compensation

Nearly four months after the US-Bangla Airlines plane crash in Nepal, the families of the Bangladeshis killed in the accident do not know how much they will receive in compensation for the deaths, nor when that payments will reach them.

Fifty people, including 27 Bangladeshis, died when the flight from Dhaka crashed near the runway of Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu on Mar 12.

The media had initially reported that families might receive $200,000 each in damages, but Civil Aviation Minister AKM Shahjahan Kamal announced $50,000 compensation for each of the families in April.

Fortnightly Bangladesh Monitor Editor Kazi Wahidul Alam, who is also an aviation expert, told bdnews24.com the sum mentioned by the minister was correct because Bangladesh is not a member of the Montreal Convention, which stipulates $200,000 compensation in such cases.

The families of some of the victims, however, know nothing about the compensation as they allege the US-Bangla authorities have not contacted them.

Victim Zannatul Ferdous Akhi Moni’s father Shafiqul Islam and mother Hasina Begum told bdnews24.com on Saturday that they were not aware of any developments.

“Even after so much time has passed, we don’t know how much compensation we’ll get. No one has contacted us,” Islam said.

Ankhi was on her honeymoon trip with her husband Meenhaz Bin Nasir, who also died in the crash.

Deceased TV journalist Foysal Ahmed’s brother Saiful Islam says he knows nothing about compensation either.

US-Bangla authorities asked the family for necessary documents, such as Foysal’s death certificate and bank statement, Islam said.

“My father also went to court. We were told that we would get the insurance money within 20 to 30 days, but we didn’t. We don’t even know the amount of the compensation yet,” he said. 

The US-Bangla authorities asked cabin crew Khwaja Hossain Mohammad Shafey’s family to contact a law firm, his father Mohiuddin Saifullah told bdnews24.com.

Saifullah learnt from the law firm that they would get $50,000 in compensation, like the other victims, and an extra $50,000 because his son was a member of the crew.

“I also went to court but haven’t received the money yet,” he said.

US-Bangla spokesman Kamrul Islam said they do not how much compensation the families of those killed in the accident will get. “The insurance company is working on it,” he said.

Local insurance agents for the crashed aircraft of US-Bangla Airlines are Sadharan Bima Corporation and Sena Kalyan Insurance Company Ltd. The flight also had aviation insurance from British company KM Dastur or KMD.

Sadharan Bima had previously stated that it will initially pay US-Bangla $4.2 million or Tk 346 million in compensation.

Sadharan Bima Corporation Managing Director Syed Shahriar Ahsan had told bdnews24.com that the victims’ families would learn the amount to be paid in compensation after the investigation report was submitted.

bdnews24.com contacted Barrister Al Amin Rahman, who’s firm SM Associates had been appointed by the Sena Kalyan Sangstha, after speaking to the US-Bangla GM.

“At least 17 legal cases have been filed to ensure that the families of the dead receive the insurance money,” he said. “We expect each of the families to receive $50,000, as announced by the government.”

It takes time to settle such cases in court and receive the insurance payments, he said. It was also taking some time to gather the necessary documents regarding the passengers from their relatives, he added.

Some of the victims’ families are not aware of the situation, he said.

“If anyone gets in contact with us on the matter we will process it.”

The barrister expressed his hope that the Bima insurance payments would reach the families by next month.