Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh (CAAB) has taken necessary steps to fulfill USA’s FAA compliance with upgrading itself as category 1 in a bid to resume Dhaka-New York Flight. Currently, the CAAB is set to welcome the USA’s second audit team here to get certify as category 1 by the US Department of Transportation’s Federal Aviation Administration (FAA).
The CAAB chairman Air Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman informed it to USA Ambassador to Bangladesh Earl R. Miller while they held a meeting at CAAB headquarters here, official source said. During the meeting, they also discussed various issues for further improving flight safety and cargo management of Bangladesh aviation sector.Under firm leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Rahman said the CAAB has taken various development endeavors like building third terminal of Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) and expanding facilities at Cox’ Bazar, Sylhet and Syedpur airports. The CAAB was downgraded as Catagory-2 after failing to comply with the
FAA’s during an investigation. Biman Bangladesh Airlines used to operate flights on Dhaka-New York route till 2006. But, currently Biman or any other airlines from Bangladesh are not allowed to fly to the US as FAA has downgraded the CAAB to Category-2. After getting downgraded, the CAAB has taken numbers of initiatives to fulfil FAA compliance.The FAA had already conducted first audit in this regard and Bangladesh has got ready for the second audit.Last year, the CAAB requested FAA to hold the second audit soon so that Biman can resume the NYC flight.
In last month, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Md Mahbub Ali informed the parliament that direct Biman flights on Dhaka-New York route would resume by the end of this year. “Work is under way to upgrade the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) to category-1. There is a plan to operate Biman flights on Dhaka-New York route after upgradation of the CAAB to category-1 by the end of this year,” he told House on June 29 last.
