USA audit team due on 27 Feb to expedite Dhaka-New York flights

State Minister for Civil Aviation, Mahbub Ali, said an audit team from New York would visit Bangladesh on 27 February to expedite Dhaka-New York flights. 

A second team will also come, soon after the first team visits, he added.

Mahbub Ali also said the government plans on having flights to New York and Toronto from Sylhet.

The state minister said this on Tuesday in a views exchange programme at a convention hall in Sylhet city organized by the Sylhet Chamber of Commerce.

Earlier, Mahbub Ali inspected the Osmani International Airport extension and construction work of the new terminal building. 

Mahbub Ali said expatriates going to the Middle East are suffering a lot, and expressed his sympathies. But he noted that it wasn't only a matter of Biman raising fares, but an international issue.

Workers going to Middle Eastern countries often get their visas only four or five days before they have to go, and end up paying a high price for tickets bought on short notice. 

"The prime minister is aware of the high price of tickets and the suffering this is causing, and the government plans to introduce subsidies for passengers to the Middle East," he said.

There is also an added pressure on Dhaka airport due to Covid and the number of flights cannot be increased because of ongoing airport development work, the minister said. He said he expects the problem will be solved once the airport goes into full operation. 

Mahbub Ali said the Osmani terminal is suitable for domestic flight operations but not international flights. Nevertheless, it is doing international flights with suggestions from the UK's transportation department.