Biman suspends principal engineer

Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national flag carrier, has suspended its principal engineer and four others over a collision between two of its Boeing aircraft during handling at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on April 10.

Principal Engineer Mohammad Badrul Islam, three engineering officers, and a ground support equipment operator have been suspended based on the report of the investigation committee formed by the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry after the incident, Tahera Khandaker, Biman Bangladesh Airlines general manager (public relations), told The Business Post.

Biman officials said negligence of the four officers and one employee was responsible for the collision that caused damage to the two aircraft that forced the rescheduling of a Dubai-bound flight.

Section 55 of the Bangladesh Biman Corporation Employees (Service) Regulations 1979 defines such negligence as a punishable offence, the probe report said.

While handling, the nose of a Boeing aircraft hit the tail of another and caused some visible damage.

Scratches were developed on both the aircraft – Boeing 737 and Boeing 777 – and they were sent to the engineering and maintenance unit.

It was the third accident Biman’s Being planes faced since February this year. The accidents led to the grounding of several aircraft and raised questions about the national flag carrier’s maintenance.

On February 15, a Boeing 737 aircraft of Biman was brought back from Malaysia after a windshield crack was noticed mid-flight en route to Kuala Lumpur two days earlier.

On March 6, another Boeing was damaged when a bird hit an engine of the plane during landing at Sylhet MAG Osmani International Airport.