Biman Bangladesh Airlines has procured nearly Tk1,000 crore equipment to increase its ground handling capability in line with the flight operation capacity of the newly built third terminal at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka.

"Currently, we are handling 160 flights daily. With this new procurement, now Biman can provide uninterrupted best ground handling service to 200 to 240 daily flights by 2024," Biman Managing Director and CEO Shafiul Azim told reporters on Thursday.

The Biman chief interacted with the journalists after attending an event titled "Ground Equipment Showcasing 2024 and New Equipment Commissioning" at the runway of HSIA.

Apart from its flights, the national flag carrier has been operating ground handling work solely for all international airlines in all airports of the country with a turnover of Tk1,000-Tk1,200 crore annually.

Under the procurement, around 3,600 motorised and non-motorised equipment have been added to Biman's Ground Support Equipment (GSE) department in the last one year.

The Biman chief said 70% of equipment has already been added to Biman while the rest will be handed over in the next three months.

Azim said Biman is committed to ensuring world-class ground handling services to any airline.

"Today's showcase is the appropriate answer to those who raised questions about Biman's capability of ground handling service. Now Biman has the capacity to serve two, three large terminals like the new third terminal." 
 
He said Biman's capacity for ground handling depends on the available facilities of the airports.

Replying to a question, Azim said Biman has the sole right to provide ground handling service as it has that capacity, and like Biman, national flag carriers of other countries also enjoy such privilege in their respective countries.

He said if the ground handling service is awarded to any foreign company, it may create a security hazard as the Dhaka airport is a key point installation (KPI).

Earlier, Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) Chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mafidur Rahman said Japan has shown interest in getting the ground handling work for the third terminal.

Biman's GSE department has provided ground handling services to 57,200 flights in 2023 while it is ready to serve the HSIA's third terminal with 600 manpower, 376 motorised, and 4,000 non-motorised equipment, Biman officials said.

In the morning, Biman celebrated its 52nd anniversary by chalking out different programmes at its headquarters at Balaka in the capital.

The day's programme started with placing wreaths at the portrait of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman on the Balaka premises.

After that, the national flag carrier organised a discussion followed by "pitha utshab' and a cultural show.

Biman Board of Directors Chairman Mostafa Kamal Uddin, Civil Aviation and Tourism Secretary Md Mokammel Hossain, and Biman MD and CEO Shafiul Azim addressed the event.

Immediately after the independence of Bangladesh, Biman Bangladesh Airlines started its journey on 4 January 1972 with a DC-3 aircraft as Bangladesh's national airline under the Bangladesh Biman Ordinance.

With this aircraft, the national flag carrier operated its first flight on 4 February 1972 from Dhaka to Chattogram and then on to Sylhet, Jashore, and Ishwardi.

On 4 March 1972, Biman spread its wings to international destinations with a weekly flight to London using a Boeing 707 chartered from British Caledonian.

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.