We will buy Biman with our own money: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday said money from internal sources would be used for buying Biman instead of foreign loans.

The Premier made the remarks while inaugurating the third Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner ‘Gaangchil’ at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.   

She also urged the Biman authorities to improve the quality of the service and use Gaangchil with care and a sense of patriotism as Biman is a sign of independence.  

Two new cargo planes will be purchased very soon to ease import and export activity in the country.

More Biman will be bought for carrying passengers to different destinations based on demand, she added.

According to Biman’s route plan, this brand new 271-seat aircraft will operate on international routes including London, Dubai and Kuala Lumpur.

The new aircraft will start operating commercially with its first flight to Abu Dhabi at 5.30pm that same day. This was confirmed by Tahera Khondoker, deputy general manager of Biman.

In 2008, Biman Bangladesh made a $2.1 billion deal to buy 10 aircrafts, including four Dreamliners, from world-renowned manufacturer Boeing. This was the ninth delivery of this order. Earlier, Biman had  received delivery of eight, including two 787 Dreamliners, the latest model aircraft, said a senior Biman executive.

The fourth Boeing 787 Dreamliner will be delivered next month. Sonali Bank financed around Tk 2,000 crore for purchasing both the aircraft.

Biman is planning to resume flights to the USA soon as part of its new route plan after inclusion of the two new aircraft, said a senior executive of the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism.

The Civil Aviation Authority is trying to improve security measures to upgrade the airport to “A” category to start flights to the USA, he said.

A joint team from Biman and the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism visited Seattle, USA to take delivery of the aircraft from its manufacturer Boeing.