Biman employees told to get MD, CEO‍‍`s nod before travelling abroad

All employees of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines, including cockpit crew, will have to get approval from its managing director and CEO before travelling abroad, from now on.

 The national flag carrier announced the move on Thursday saying that it is applicable regardless of the reason of the boarding.

It comes in the aftermath of two of its employees going missing recently.

Before the announcement, chiefs of the respective departments of the airlines had the authority to approve their subordinates for foreign visits, said Biman MD and CEO Shafiul Azim.

Biman also set certain conditions for all of its employees when visiting abroad in an administrative order issued on Thursday.

According to the new decision, all Biman employees may visit outside Bangladesh either for better treatment of the applicant or along with their family members as attendants, to visit places of religious importance once every two years, or to visit near relatives or tourist places twice a year.

The employees will have to apply to the admin cell concerned, and then the application will go through the security and foreign affairs departments to receive the necessary security clearance and approval for the visit outside the country.

Biman Assistant Manager (Administration) Md Anwar Hossain went missing after going to Canada on Biman‍‍`s BG-305 flight from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on 7 December. Another, Shohan Ahmed, a commercial supervisor of Biman, has not shown up for work since 24 October.

The airlines on Wednesday said strict action will be taken against the two pilots.

On January 15, Biman filed a case with the Airport Police Station alleging that Anwar Hossain went to Canada without the permission of its authorities, which affected the flag carrier negatively.

At present, the total number of aircraft in the fleet is 21. Of these, four are Boeing 777-300 ER, four are Boeing 787-8, two are Boeing 787-9, six are Boeing 737 and five are Dash 8-400 aircraft.