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Airlines operators on Saturday once again urged the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to reduce aeronautical, non-aeronautical charges alongside solving other issues for the healthy growth of the small aviation industry in Bangladesh.
They said they had been requesting the same for the past seven years but to no avail.
Besides, the maximum monthly delay charge for any invoice in foreign countries is only 1.0 per cent which is 6.0 per cent in Bangladesh.
The interest rate on the invoice is 12 per cent across the world, but CAAB charges 80 per cent interest, which in no way favours the airlines industry.
The airlines operators also alleged that the authority and the policymakers never tried to solve the longstanding problems of the aviation industry despite repeated lobbying and meetings, ultimately closing down 10 airlines.
The structural deformity was never corrected for helping the local aviation industry flourish and privilege was always given to foreign carriers, they added.
The observations were made at a webinar on 'Bangladesh Aviation Sector and Pandemic: Challenges and Way Out', organised by the Aviation and Tourism Journalist Forum.
State Minister for Civil Aviation M Mahbub Ali was present at the online event as the chief guest.
In his speech, NovoAir Managing Director Mofizur Rahman said the private aviation sector was in a poor condition.
That's why only two private operators out of the total eight companies are now operating, he said.
The longstanding problems in the sector were never solved -of the problems, the most pressing one is the high charge of CAAB, he said.
But those were never addressed despite frequent meetings, he said, adding that the aviation finance rate here was outrageous compared to the world standard.
Despite the fact that there is no business during the pandemic, Mr Mofizur said they were being compelled to pay all types of aeronautical, non-aeronautical charges.
But the fact is the expenses never stop even if the flights are grounded as the maintenance cost is really high, he noted.
"We demand a respite from the current liabilities for some time so that we can pay the arrears later," he said.
"We do not want any incentive for the aviation industry as the context here is different. But we want policy support for our survival."
The veteran aviation expert also suggested correcting the structural deformity first to keep the country's aviation industry alive as Covid had created an extra burden on them.
US-Bangla Airlines Managing Director Abdullah Al Mamun said that they had operated nine international destinations in eight countries in the last one year making a capacity loss of 70 per cent.
In domestic routes, they have operated 18 flights out of the total 36 flights making a capacity loss of 54 per cent, he said.
However, CAAB has been charging 6.0 per cent for a delayed invoice and an interest of 80 per cent compared to 1.0 per cent delay charge in foreign countries and a maximum 8.0 per cent to 12 per cent interest, he said.
Even in this pandemic, invoices are coming continuously, he added.
He also said the jet fuel price was increased four times between August 2020 and March this year.
But Biman Bangladesh Airlines, US-Bangla Airlines, and NovoAir contributed Tk 60 billion to the remittances by operating chartered flights and cargo flights, he added.
Expressing his frustration, Mr Mamun said the foreign carriers carried 70 per cent passengers and local airlines only 30 per cent, due to a faulty system.
But it should have been the other way around, he said.
Mr Mamun said, "We have seen 10 airlines shut down due to unfavourable condition to operate here. This has not happened in any other country in the world."
"Though we have been urging the authority to reduce aeronautical, non-aeronautical charges or at least make them tolerable, we only got a waiver of Tk 5.0 million last year. But we have to pay Tk 70 to Tk 80 million a month as various charges," added Mr Mamun.