Biman Bangladesh Airlines is struggling to keep its flights airborne as repeated technical breakdowns and communication blackouts push its operations to the brink. With critical aircraft systems failing and vital communication links severed mid-flight, passengers are facing prolonged delays and mounting frustration, while the airline battles an escalating safety and service crisis.
On the evening of August 7, flight BG327 departed Dhaka using aircraft S2-AHO despite a known malfunction in the lavatory flushing system. The crew’s attempts to resolve the issue mid-flight were unsuccessful, forcing the aircraft to return and divert. To maintain the schedule, Biman swapped in another aircraft, S2-AHV, which had just arrived from Kathmandu. This adjustment triggered a ripple effect, delaying BG366 and several other flights, as the aircraft originally assigned to those services was pulled out of rotation.
Maintenance teams estimated repairs would take at least two hours, but with no spare aircraft available, flights were left stranded and schedules thrown into disarray. As delays dragged on through the night, passengers grew increasingly restless—some becoming unruly and requiring intervention from airport security. Meanwhile, Biman’s operations control center wrestled with a rapidly shrinking fleet: only a single B737-800 remained available for multiple international routes, while the rest were grounded for maintenance or awaiting repairs. The strain on coordination was immense, though dedicated staff were credited for their tireless efforts to manage the crisis.
The airline’s woes deepened further when its main communication system, ACARS, proved unreliable. During the diversion of another flight, BG201, to Istanbul, operations control lost contact with the aircraft after it went out of VHF range. Satellite communication was found to be only one-way, leaving crews effectively isolated. These communication gaps exposed a critical safety vulnerability and sparked urgent calls for systemic upgrades.
At the heart of the crisis lies a deteriorating maintenance regime and inadequate operational resources. The operations control center is running with minimal staff, struggling to keep up with flight dispatch, crew coordination, and emergency responses amid ongoing technical failures. Any lapse carries the risk of catastrophic consequences, placing enormous pressure on engineering teams to resolve persistent faults in the fleet.
A passenger on a previous Biman flight recounted: “We were on a Biman flight from Dhaka to Bangkok on February 28 when the plane had to return due to cabin decompression. The pilot announced we should prepare for an emergency landing. The oxygen masks deployed, but they didn’t work—we later realized they were dated June 2001. There were no medical staff upon arrival in Dhaka, and we were both unwell that day and the next due to a lack of oxygen. I contacted Biman and the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh multiple times, but they’ve ignored me. I have photos of the outdated equipment if you need them.”
Industry insiders have blamed Biman’s engineering and maintenance unit for the recurring technical failures, though the department has declined to comment despite repeated attempts by Dhaka Tribune.
Meanwhile, Biman’s Managing Director and CEO, Shafikur Rahman, has remained silent on the escalating crisis, despite calls and text messages from this reporter.
However, Public Relations official Al Masud Khan stated that the technical issue with the flight had been resolved and that passengers from the affected flight were accommodated on another aircraft.
Passengers continue to endure the fallout—hours of delays and uncertainty—despite paying for reliable service. Even as dawn broke on August 8, flights continued to suffer from technical setbacks and delays, including Dhaka–Delhi flight BG397. Efforts to restore communication systems are underway, but no quick solution is in sight.
Industry insiders say Biman Bangladesh Airlines stands at a crossroads. Without swift, comprehensive reforms in aircraft maintenance, communication infrastructure, and operational management, the airline risks further damage to its safety record, reputation, and passenger trust.
The unfolding crisis is a stark reminder that in aviation, technical reliability and clear communication are non-negotiable pillars of safety and service, they added.