SM Mizanur Rahman :The government on Tuesday appointed former Air Force Chief, Air Marshal (retd) Muhammad Enamul Bari as the new chairman of National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines. He replaced Air Marshal (retd) Jamal Uddin Ahmed. The government also reconstituted the Biman’s board with 13 members to ensure overall development and faster its activities.Jamal Uddin Ahmed was made Biman chairmanfor one year in 2009. Despite widespread criticism, he had been at the Biman over the last seven years. According to sources, the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry proposed the name of Muhammad Enamul Bari as the Biman’s new chairman to the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) on Monday for the PM’s approval. When contacted, Civil Aviation Minister Rashed Khan Menon told The New Nation on Tuesday that the former Air Force Chief, Air Marshal (retd) Muhammad Enamul Bari, has been made the new chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines. “On Tuesday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina approved the ministry’s proposal and appointed Muhammad Enamul Bari as the new Chairman of Biman Bangladesh Airlines,” he said. Replying to a query, Rashed Khan Menon said the Board has been recast for the overall development of Biman and to bring pace in operational activities. “The new Board will bring in a new bright dawn for Biman.”He said Biman will be established as symbol of goodwill and dignity in the world and Biman will be ‘Meghdoot’ of Bangladesh. The 13-member Biman Board has been reconstituted in light of the Bangladesh Biman Corporation (Amendment) Ordinance, 2007, the Company Act, 1994 and Article of Association of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited, said an official at the Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry on Tuesday.Senior Secretary of Finance Division Mahbub Ahmed, Prime Minister’s Office Secretary Suraiya Begum, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Secretary SM Ghulam Farooque, former secretary M Nazrul Islam Khan (on PRL), BGMEA President M Siddiqur Rahman, Barrister Tanjib-ul Alam and Noor-E-Khoda Abdul Mobin FCA are among the reconstituted Board members.The government came down heavily on Jamal Uddin when the UK banned direct cargo flight to London from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport on security grounds on March 8.Earlier, Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh Air-Vice Marshal M Sanaul Hoque and Civil Aviation Secretary Khorshed Alam Chowdhury were removed from their posts after the UK ban.
