CAAB asks aviation operators to verify academic certificates of all pilots

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has asked all airlines, helicopter operators and flying academies in the country to verify academic certificates of all pilots.

Issuing a letter on 19 March, the regulatory authority asked 22 operators including Biman to submit reports by 31 May.

CAAB came up with the move following media reports that Biman first officer Sadia Ahmed submitted forged educational certificates claiming to be an HSC student from science group.

But it was discovered by the media that she was a student of humanities having second division in HSC with Bangla, English, civics, psychology, and home economics.

According to the CAAB rulebook, all commercial pilots must have the minimum educational qualification of HSC (science) or equivalent with physics and mathematics as compulsory subjects.

Apart from Sadia Ahmed, another pilot was reported to be involved with forgery.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines terminated the contract of its first officer Al Mehedi Islam for having forged his Airline Transport Pilot Licence (ATPL).

Al Mehedi reportedly forged the signature of Shirin Sultana, former assistant director of flight safety at CAAB, to have his licence approved.

Referring to Civil Aviation Rules (CAR) 84, the CAAB letter stated that a private pilot must have the Secondary School Certificate (SSC) of science group or equivalent.

As for commercial pilot licence and ATPL, a pilot must also have an HSC of the science group or equivalent with physics and mathematics.

The CAAB letter mentioned undertaking a programme to verify the academic certificates of existing licence holders.