As ban still remains on Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the British authorities move of lifting embargo on direct air cargo flights from Dhaka to London may not help much to Bangladeshi exporters.
“We will not get full benefit of the UK’s decision since the ban remains on Bangladesh Biman,” Exporters’ Association of Bangladesh (EAB) President Abdus Salam Murshedy told The New Nation yesterday.
He said sending direct air cargo by Biman to the UK is the cheapest among other airlines. Local exporters will not be able to sent direct air cargo at cost effective manner unless Biman remains in British embargo.
Biman will also be able to operate direct cargo flights to UK after the airlines acquires a certificate of air cargo or main carrier operating into the union from a third country airport (ACC3)”.
Murshedy, however, welcomed the UK’s move of lifting the ban on direct air cargo flights from Dhaka to London saying that it will help repair Bangladesh’s image abroad that tarnished following imposition of ban by the UK, Australia and Germany.
He expressed the hope that lifting of the ban by the UK will encourage Australia and Germany to take similar move. “It’s a good decision. It will help the RMG exporters to send and receive goods in a day. But the fact is that exporters will not be able to sent their goods by Biman as ban exists on the national flag carrier,” BGMEA President M Siddiqur Rahman told The New Nation.
He said Biman is competitive than any other airline in carrying direct air cargo from Dhaka. So, the British move will not offer much benefit to us.
“The Bangladesh authorities should take necessary steps so that Biman can start operating direct cargo flights from Dhaka to London,” he added.
The British government on March 8, 2016 imposed an embargo on direct cargo flights from Dhaka to London after Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport failed to pass aviation safety norms. Bangladesh later hired a British company to improve the security mechanism in the country’s prime airport. The ban later left huge impact on businesses in terms of money and time because airlines have to get the cargo scanned at another airport before they enter the UK.
During his maiden visit, British Foreign Secretary Johnson on February 9 said the UK was pleased with Bangladesh’s ‘progress’ in aviation safety and his government was set to withdraw the ban anytime.
Nine days after Boris Johnson dropped a broad hint, Britain has lifted the embargo on direct cargo flights from Dhaka on Sunday. British High Commissioner in Dhaka Alison Blake announced the decision at a media briefing at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport.
“The ban has gone without giving much benefit to us because of high cost of sending goods to other airlines except Biman,” Bangladesh Fruits Vegetables and Allied Products Exporters’ Association Secretary General Mohammad Monsur told The New Nation.
