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Biman Bangladesh Airlines has launched a series of corrective measures, including disciplinary action against officials and the formation of an investigation committee, following repeated technical glitches on several of its flights in recent weeks.
According to a press release issued Tuesday by ABM Raoshan Kabir, general manager (Public Relations) of Biman, a four-member high-level probe body has been formed to review the incidents that occurred between July 1 and August 13.
The committee has been tasked with examining maintenance records and operational procedures to identify causes, determine responsibility in cases of negligence, and recommend measures to prevent recurrence. It has been asked to submit its report within 10 working days.
As part of immediate actions, two officials have already been transferred and several others reassigned. One engineer was transferred as a punitive measure, while another in Chattogram has been served a show-cause notice.
The national flag carrier has also ordered separate investigations into two recent incidents -- a malfunctioning toilet flush on a Dhaka-Abu Dhabi flight and a tire burst in Jeddah.
To strengthen operational capacity, Biman has begun stocking extra aircraft wheels at key outstations, including Jeddah, Dubai, Madinah, Dammam, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah, to ensure quick replacements in emergencies. Purchase orders have already been placed for additional wheels.
Supervision has also been stepped up under the direct oversight of the director of Engineering and Material Management department along with the chief engineers. From August 18, a special night-time maintenance shift has been introduced to ensure round-the-clock monitoring. Biman's inventory management system is undergoing a comprehensive review. Discussions with Boeing are underway to revise the Component Services Programme (CSP) list, while spare parts stocks are being realigned with the Recommended Spare Parts List (RSPL). A Tailored Part Package (TPP), based on actual usage data, is also under consideration.
In addition, recurrent training programmes for engineers have already started. To expand long-term technical manpower, the airline has started recruiting apprentice mechanics.
Over the last few weeks, several Biman flights -- mostly involving Boeing aircraft -- have been affected by technical glitches, causing schedule disruptions and passenger delays.
The latest incident occurred on August 11, when a Dash-8 Q400 aircraft on the Dhaka-Chattogram route suffered a mechanical failure.
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