Why int’l airfares from Dhaka so high, parliamentary committee asks

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Undertakings has questioned why airfares from Dhaka to various international destinations are comparatively high.

It has advised the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to examine whether a policy could be introduced to regulate fares.

At a meeting held at the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban (parliament building) on Monday, the committee reviewed the financial management, operational activities and audit reports of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh.

According to sources concerned, the committee pointed out that the distance between Kuala Lumpur and Manila is roughly the same as that between Dhaka and Kuala Lumpur. Yet a ticket from Dhaka to Kuala Lumpur costs several times as much as one from Kuala Lumpur to Manila. The committee sought to know the reason for this disparity and whether any policy governed fare-setting.

In response, it was told that CAAB had no policy governing fares on international routes and that airlines set their own prices. The committee then suggested examining whether guidelines could be introduced for fare-setting.

According to the sources, the meeting also discussed Biman’s audit objections.

The committee asked whether a time-bound action plan, supported by evidence, could be submitted to address 18 objections.

It also sought to know whether action had been taken against those responsible for decisions to purchase defective aircraft, inoperative equipment, unnecessary spare-parts and the acquisition of old aircraft.

The committee further asked how irregularities involving Tk 7.36 billion had occurred in chartered cargo flights on the Dhaka–Guangzhou–Dhaka route and in revenue collection.

A press release issued by the Parliament Secretariat after the meeting said detailed information had been sought on the total amount recovered against the audit objections raised, the amount still outstanding and the number of people against whom disciplinary action had been taken.

The committee also stressed the need to submit time-bound action plans, backed by evidence, for each audit objection, the release added.

According to the media release, the committee recommended that Biman and the relevant authorities take the necessary steps to present detailed written explanations and supporting information on the issues raised at the next meeting.

The committee also sought explanations from the relevant authorities about why aircraft carrying the prime minister had repeatedly suffered technical problems.

Irregularities in Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ procurement of aircraft and equipment, as well as potential revenue losses arising from weaknesses in its IT systems, were also discussed.

According to the sources, Biman representatives said the most modern aircraft in its fleet were always assigned to the prime minister’s travel. The aircraft’s flight history over the preceding month was reviewed to check for any technical faults. A four-member investigation committee has been formed to determine the cause of the latest technical problem.

Some committee members also expressed dissatisfaction with the lift, services and overall environment of the VIP lounge at Dhaka’s international airport, the sources said.

One member remarked at the meeting that Biman tickets appeared to be unavailable when checked online, yet many seats were found to be empty after boarding.

According to the sources, Biman submitted a report on its operations at the meeting, outlining several reasons for flight delays.

The report said international check-in counters were insufficient, preventing them from closing on time and causing delays. Multiple flights were assigned to the same gate, while boarding bridges were also in short supply. Space was limited in the departure baggage area, and there were too few arrival baggage belts. The domestic terminal had only four check-in counters.

The meeting was chaired by committee chairman and Chief Whip of Parliament Nurul Islam Moni.

Committee members who attended included Whip Miah Nuruddin Ahmad Apu, Whip Md Akhtaruzzaman Mia, Khondoker Abu Ashfaque, Mohamed Koysor Ahmed, Biswas Jahangir Alam, Muhammad Nazibur Rahman and Mohammed Kamal Hossain.