Parliamentary committee questions Biman over ticket prices, empty seats and flight delays

A parliamentary committee has asked why Biman Bangladesh Airlines' ticket prices are so high. Why seats are found empty on flights even when tickets cannot be bought online, and why flights are delayed, were also raised at the committee's meeting.

The meeting of the parliamentary standing committee on government institutions was held at the Jatiya Sangsad on Monday. A press release said the meeting reviewed the financial management, operational activities and audit reports of Biman Bangladesh Airlines and the Civil Aviation Authority.

Sources said committee members pointed out that the distance from Kuala Lumpur to Manila is roughly the same as from Dhaka to Kuala Lumpur, yet the Dhaka-Kuala Lumpur fare is several times higher than the Kuala Lumpur-Manila fare. The committee asked for the reason for the difference and whether any policy exists for setting fares.

In reply, it was stated that the Civil Aviation Authority (CAAB) has no policy for setting fares to international destinations and that the airlines set their own fares. The committee advised examining whether a fare-setting policy can be introduced.

One member said at the meeting that Biman tickets cannot be obtained online, yet many seats are seen empty after boarding the aircraft. Sources said several committee members also expressed dissatisfaction over the lift, service and environment of the VIP lounge at Dhaka's Shahjalal International Airport.

On his way back from a visit to Japan, the Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft carrying Prime Minister Tareque Rahman developed a mechanical fault, causing a delay of about five hours. The fault was detected on October 29 at Narita International Airport as the aircraft prepared to depart for Dhaka. As similar problems had occurred before, the committee asked why such incidents keep happening.

Biman replied that modern aircraft from its fleet are always assigned for the prime minister's travel, and that the previous month's flights are reviewed to check whether any fault exists.

The meeting also discussed Biman's audit objections. The committee chairman asked how irregularities of Tk 736 crore had occurred in chartered cargo flights on the Dhaka-Guangzhou-Dhaka route and in revenue collection, and whether a time-bound action plan with evidence could be provided against the 18 audit objections.

According to the release, the committee sought detailed information on how much money has been recovered against the audit objections raised, how much remains unrealised, and how many people have faced punitive action. It also asked whether any action had been taken against decision-makers in the purchase of faulty aircraft, inoperative equipment, unnecessary parts and old aircraft. Assigning responsibility for irregularities in aircraft and equipment purchases and possible revenue losses from weaknesses in the IT system were also discussed.

In the report presented by Biman, shortages of check-in counters for international flights, a crisis at boarding gates, limitations in baggage handling and the absence of a permanent ULD yard were cited among the main causes of flight delays at the airport. According to the report, there are not enough counters to run check-in for several international flights at once, so counters cannot be closed on time, disrupting departures and on-time performance.

The report further said delays in gate allocation, use of the same gate for multiple flights and a shortage of boarding bridges cause problems in passenger boarding and disembarkation, with wide-body aircraft carrying 300 to 400 passengers taking longer to board. Space shortages in the departure baggage area and too few arrival baggage belts delay luggage handling, a problem that grows when 10 to 12 flights arrive together. The absence of a permanent ULD yard is hampering ULD management for Biman and foreign airlines and causing financial losses.

The meeting was presented with Biman Bangladesh Airlines' income and expenditure figures for the last 10 fiscal years. Biman lost Tk 201.47 crore in fiscal 2017-18 and Tk 81.13 crore in fiscal 2019-20. It made profits in the other fiscal years, including its highest profit of Tk 822.34 crore (unaudited) in fiscal 2025-26. The profit was Tk 785 crore in 2024-25 and Tk 282 crore in 2023-24.

Committee chairman and chief whip Nurul Islam Moni presided over the meeting, which was also attended by committee members and whips Mia Nuruddin Ahmed Apu, whip Md Akhtaruzzaman Mia, Khandaker Abu Ashfaq, Mohammad Qaiser Ahmed, Biswas Jahangir Alam, Mohammad Najibur Rahman and Mohammad Kamal Hossain.