A charter company requests Biman to operate evacuation flights in Afghanistan

An Indian-based private charter service provider company Air Charter service requested Biman Bangladesh Airlines to operate charter flights in Afghanistan to evacuate citizens stuck in the conflict-ridden country.

However, the state carrier decided not to operate charter flights as it did not get clearance from the insurer to operate evacuation flights in the war zone.

A Biman high official said some third party charter companies contacted Biman to operate flights to evacuate around 45,000 citizens.

Following the request, Biman contacted the insurer company for clearance to operate the flights, he said.

He further said, all aircraft are insured by foreign insurers and their clearance is needed for operating flights in the war zone. Because insurance costs will be high for operating such flights.

"Insurance companies discouraged us from operating flights at this moment," he said.

In this perspective, Biman decided not to operate charter flights in Afghanistan, he added.

Currently, various countries are operating charter flights in the war torn country to evacuate their citizens.

Biman has experience of operating such evacuation flight from war torn countries before, especially during the Iran-Iraq war in the 80's