Dhaka: Emirates Airlines is being blessed with immense facilities in Bangladesh though the country’s national carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines is not getting any facility in the Sheikdom of Middle East.
For last few years Bangladeshis are even not given any visa by UAE.
Last year during her visit to UAE, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also could not bring any facility for our people including visa.
In UAE our labor market is closed, even our businesspeople or tourists are not getting visa. Even due to visa problem Biman could not send its official at Dubai office of the national carrier putting the office in difficulties.
Though UAE does not care for our interest, our ministry concerned and the controlling authorities concerned are doing everything for Emirates airlines.
During this time, Emirates airlines got permission to operate an excess 66 flights.
Biman operates seven flights on Dhaka-Dubai route while Emeritus operates 21 flights.
Most passengers fly to Dubai enroute to several other countries of the world.
According to rules, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) is supposed to get royalty. But our ministry concerned or CAAB is doing nothing in this regard.
Talking to Banglanews, a Biman official, preferring anonymity, said that according to agreements if Biman wants to carry passengers from Dubai to other countries then Emirates is bound to agree.
But in comparison to Biman, Emirates is a very big airliner, so it is not possible on Biman’s part.
However, the Biman official thinks that during inking agreements the CAAB should make more bargaining.
Moreover, during slot allotment by CAAB though the Biman officials are invited but their opinions are not given any importance.
Everything is done by CAAB which hampers the interest of Biman as well as the country.
Giving an example the Biman official informed the media that if any passenger of Hong Kong buys ticket for Cathay Pacific their visa is not denied. But if in case of traveling by Biman or by any other airliner the Hong Kong passenger usually does not get visa.
Because the foreign ministry of Hong Kong issues visa for the interest of own country’s airliner.
The Biman official further said that unfortunately our Civil Aviation and Tourism ministry and CAAB concerned do not look after the interest of their own airliner.
One Biman official said that in Dubai airport the Biman aircraft is not given boarding bridge that causes inconveniences to the passengers. But the Emirates aircraft is provided with boarding bridge at Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
Another Biman official said, so long we had no capacity due to shortage of aircrafts, Emirates was given excess slots to operate.
Now, Biman has been procuring a number of aircrafts of different sizes and models namely four 777 300 ER, two 737 Boeings, two 777 200, two 737 and on lease two Dash 8 Q.400.
Moreover, by 2020 more four Boeing dream liners will be added to Biman fleet.
So, under this situation our passenger’s royalty must be given by Dubai. While Emirates has been depriving us in many ways but we are frequently granting all facilities to them.
We do not understand how much Emirates contains!
BDST: 2037 HRS, APR 22, 2015
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