Biman Bangladesh Airlines has decided to increase its workforce by more than 1,000 from its present number as the new management thinks such move is necessary to bring dynamism into the national carrier.
It will also abolish some senior posts like deputy general managers and executive directors under a proposed organogram.
The state-owned airlines, which has been a loss-making organisation for years, currently operates with a total of 3,400 employees while as per the decision the number will be increased to 4,575.
The authorities will also introduce a service rules to make it more accountable and dynamic. The highest policy making body Board of Directors already gave a positive signal to finalise the organogram.
“Proposed organogram will bring dynamism among employees of the airlines,” said Biman Chairman Air Marshal (retd) Jamal Uddin Ahmed. There will no posts of executive directors and deputy general managers, but the organogram will include new posts like chief commercial officer and chief finance officer.
Presently the airlines has 17 DGM posts and eight ED posts, which the management thinks redundant. The move caused fear of losing jobs among officials holding the posts.
After his joining in January this year, Managing Directer and CEO of Biman Kyle Heywood began working to form a new organogram.
Sources said Kyle thinks that an organogram is essential for any organisation and without organogram and service rules, the airlines cannot run properly.
He said the organogram is currently getting prepared in line with the board’s guidelines.
Over the last 44 years, manpower of the airlines has doubled in the name of introducing different new posts.
A high official of Biman said due to lack of skilled and expert technical officers, poor management with scheduling, fleet and human resources had made the airlines a lose-making carrier.
He said as all executive directors of Biman would go into retirement in a year or two, management would then fulfil the vacant posts as per new organogram. In June 2007 Biman, however, sacked 1,862 employees under Voluntary Retirement Scheme (VRS) and reduced the workforce to about 3,400 from 4,706.
The step was taken to cut costs and make the carrier a healthy and profitable organisation. In July 2007, among the sacked through VRS, Biman re-appointed 1,100 employees on casual basis.
In 2007 the national flag carrier started its journey as a public limited company with a view to ensuring better operation and development of air transport service.