Pilots swing into strike after 4 ‘suspended’; hajj flights to continue
Biman Bangladesh Airlines last night “suspended” four pilots, prompting a pilots’ strike from 9:00pm that might see most of its aircraft grounded for an indefinite period.
Hajj flights will, however, remain out of the purview of the strike, Bangladesh Airline Pilots’ Association (Bapa) sources said.
Of the 115 Biman pilots, 102 decided not to operate any flights from 9:00pm yesterday, Bapa member Captain Maqsood, who is among those suspended, told this correspondent at 12:30am today.
He and the other three received suspension letters around 8:00pm, added Maqsood.
Earlier on October 21, Bapa threatened that the pilots will stop flying extra hours unless the Biman authorities withdrew their decision raising the retirement age but curtailing some benefits.
The pilots’ strike is likely to disrupt up to 15 international flights. These include Dhaka-Jeddah, Dhaka-Riyadh, Dhaka-Dubai-London, Sylhet-Kathmandu-Bahrain, Dhaka-Kuwait, Chittagong-Musket and Dhaka-Singapore flights.
The domestic flights that might be affected are Dhaka-Sylhet and Dhaka-Kolkata-Kathmandu, Biman sources said.
Several thousand local and foreign passengers–both incoming and outgoing–will face sufferings if the national flag carrier does not make alternative arrangements for them.
On October 21, Bapa General Secretary Captain MA Basit Mahtab said they won’t fly extra hours from October 22 unless their demands are met.
Biman Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Air Commodore (retd) Muhammad Zakiul Islam could not be contacted over the phone till 12:45am today despite repeated attempts.
Queried about suspension of pilots, Naseer Uddin Ahmed, director of flight operations, said four pilots have been asked not to operate Biman flights temporarily on grounds of passengers’ safety.
