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Published : 15 Aug 2025, 02:36 AM
As the government pushes ahead with plans to buy 25 Boeing aircraft from the United States, Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ existing Boeing fleet has been repeatedly hit by mechanical failures, prompting speculation about maintenance shortfalls and even possible sabotage.
In the past 28 days alone, eight Boeing aircraft and one Dash-8 in the flag carrier’s fleet have suffered faults. Several had to turn back to their departure airport shortly after take-off, or were grounded for hours beyond their scheduled departure while repairs were carried out.
The string of malfunctions has forced Biman to cancel flights, reschedule departures, and scramble aircraft to keep to its timetable. A senior general manager at the airline described the run of incidents as “abnormal”.
On Tuesday, flights to Kuwait and Dubai were cancelled and rescheduled for Wednesday, when at least four more services were delayed.
The BG-237 service to Medina, due to leave Dhaka at 4pm, was delayed by at least four hours, as was a Dubai flight. The Jeddah service left 30 minutes late, while the Kuwait flight was delayed by 90 minutes.
FAULTS IN RAPID SUCCESSION
Two years ago, during the Awami League government, Biman began the process of acquiring Airbus jets, raising questions at the time about whether it had the capacity to operate them.
That deal stalled.
Now, with the US pressing Dhaka to reduce tariffs, the interim government has announced plans to acquire 25 Boeings.
But Biman’s own management says it was not informed before the public announcement. Almost immediately afterwards, the airline’s Boeings began suffering fault after fault.
Whether this is coincidence or something more sinister has become a topic of public debate.
On Monday, two Biman aircraft failed on the same day. A Dash-8 turboprop on the Dhaka–Chattogram route turned back to Shahjalal International Airport shortly after take-off when cabin temperature rose excessively. It was the airline’s ninth fault in 28 days.
The same day, a Boeing Dreamliner was grounded at Leonardo da Vinci Airport in Rome with a flap problem. It was repaired only after parts were flown in from London, with its 262 passengers accommodated in hotels before returning to Dhaka on Wednesday.
On Aug 7, an Abu Dhabi-bound Boeing turned back to Dhaka an hour into the flight after all three toilets failed, creating an “uncomfortable situation” on board.
A day earlier, a Boeing 737 bound for Bangkok returned to Dhaka from Myanmar’s airspace after “excessive vibration” was detected in one engine.
On Jul 30, a Boeing 737 was stranded in Sharjah for six hours with a technical fault,
On Jul 28, a Boeing 777-ER to Dammam returned to Dhaka after a “cabin pressure” warning,
On Jul 24, a Dreamliner to Dhaka turned back to Chattogram with its landing gear doors failing to close.
On Jul 16, a Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was grounded in Dubai for 30 hours after a wheel defect.
‘UNFORTUNATE AND ABNORMAL’
Asked whether Biman was taking action, General Manager (public relations) ABM Rowshan Kabir told bdnews24.com: “Our engineering division is investigating why these incidents are happening so frequently. Each fault is unique, there’s no repetition of the same issue. It’s very unfortunate and surprising that so many have happened in such a short time.”
He added that in some cases the airline lacked the necessary spare parts, particularly when problems occurred abroad, and that pressure to maintain schedules sometimes meant overusing certain aircraft.
Biman’s Chief Engineer ARM Kaiser Zaman has been in Hungary for two months and asked to explain his absence. He could not be reached for comment.
Kabir declined to say whether Biman had the capacity to operate 25 additional Boeings.
One official, speaking anonymously, said: “Normally, if new aircraft are needed on a route, the airline notifies the authorities. But here, unprecedentedly, the government has announced a Boeing order without consulting Biman. There is no final plan yet for how to deploy or maintain them.”
The airline is now seeking to lease two more aircraft to cope with disruptions.
SCANDALS, THEORIES OF SABOTAGE
In 2014, leasing two Boeings from EgyptAir cost the government Tk 11 billion, triggering a corruption investigation. Zaman, the absent chief engineer, was the lead defendant in that case and also accused in a recruitment test question-leak scandal.
Such history has fuelled speculation on social media that the current run of faults could be deliberate sabotage. Others blame inadequate technical capacity.
Kazi Wahidul Alam, a former Biman board member, dismissed the conspiracy theory.
“There is no scope for playing with people’s lives by design. These are coincidences,” he said, “but when there’s talk of buying Boeings and such incidents happen, it’s natural for people to have questions.”
He noted that many of Biman’s aircraft are old, with worn mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic components, and some hidden manufacturing flaws can emerge only after years of service.
“Maintenance capacity is also lacking,” he said.
“Corruption and nepotism in recruitment mean the most qualified people are not always in the right roles. We need a more competent engineering team, appointed through a transparent process.”
CAPACITY CONCERNS
Biman’s fleet comprises 21 aircraft, including six Boeing 787 Dreamliners, four Boeing 777-300ERs, six Boeing 737s, and five Dash-8s.
An internal 2023 audit found that 24 percent of international seats and a similar share of domestic seats went unsold in 2022, while 94 percent of international cargo capacity was unused.
Wahidul said, “Frankly, Biman doesn’t have the capacity. The structure is dominated by military and civil bureaucrats; you can’t run an airline with bureaucracy. It must be run by professionals.”
He added that while new aircraft are essential to expand routes and market share, the airline’s governance must change.
“Biman has been stagnant for 15-20 years. The aviation market here is growing fast, but Biman’s share isn’t. Without professional management and more skilled personnel, these glitches will continue.”
