BSS, Sangsad Bhaban :
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister Rashed Khan Menon Thursday informed the House that the government has a plan to establish an Aviation Tourism University to provide both theoretical and practical education on aircraft and tourism related subjects.
“The government is considering establishment of an Aviation Tourism University keeping in mind demands of the time,” he said while answering to a question of treasury bench member Dr Dipu Moni during the question and answer session in the House with Speaker Dr Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the year.
Replying to a question from treasury bench member Tahjib Alam Siddique, the minister said the Biman Bangladesh Airlines Limited is working sincerely to overcome the loss already suffered by this sector.
“Biman’s loss was Taka 191.59 crore in 2012-2013 and Taka 594.21 crore in 2011-2012,” the minister mentioned replying to a query of lawmaker AKM Maidul Islam from Kurigram-3 constituency.
He said four new aircraft have already been added to the fleet of Biman, the national flag carrier of Bangladesh. The government is implementing a number of uplift programmes to further increase income from the tourism sector, he added.
Responding to a question of ruling party lawmaker Sheikh Fazlul Karim Selim, Menon said, “We are trying to ensure the port sharing for direct flight operation on Dhaka-Frankfurt-Dhaka route. Discussion is underway to this end.”
In reply to separate queries of Independent lawmaker Dr
Rustom Ali Farazi and treasury bench member Talukdar Abdul Khaleque, the minister said that Biman had suspended operations of its flights on different domestic routes due to aircraft shortage and financial loss earlier.
“We have a plan to increase flight operation on different domestic routes including Dhaka-Barisal-Dhaka.”
