National flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has initiated legal action against private airline US-Bangla and former executive Captain Sazid Ahmed, accusing them of violating employment regulations and flouting a High Court order in a contentious hiring dispute.
The conflict centres on Sazid’s abrupt resignation from Biman and subsequent appointment at US-Bangla without securing a mandatory "No Objection Certificate" (NOC).
Sazid, formerly Biman’s chief of training, faced scrutiny in November 2023 when the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) suspended his pilot license.
This followed allegations that he orchestrated a fabricated "pilot crisis" to secure a position for his wife, first officer Sadia Ahmed, whose educational certificate was later exposed as forged.
Her license was revoked, and a High Court-formed committee took over the investigation.
Though Sazid’s suspension was later revoked, he resigned from Biman on October 24, 2024, without serving the three-month notice period required under Biman’s Employer Service Regulations 1979 and the pilot association (BAPA) agreement.
Employees with over a decade of service, like Sazid, must either serve notice or compensate the airline.
Biman issued a show-cause notice on October 30, 2024, but Sazid joined US-Bangla as executive vice president on January 12 amid ongoing proceedings.
Biman’s legal counsel, Md Hafizur Rahaman Khan, said Sazid’s appointment violates a 2018 High Court ruling mandating pilots and engineers to obtain an NOC from their former employer before switching airlines.
In a legal notice, Biman accused US-Bangla and Sazid of “contempt of court” and demanded the appointment be suspended until compliance.
The airline warned of civil and criminal action, including involving CAAB, if terms are ignored.
Biman’s Managing Director, Shafiqur Rahman, underscored adherence to policies: “All employees must follow regulations to maintain organizational integrity.”
US-Bangla spokesperson Kamrul Islam acknowledged the NOC requirement, saying: “Captain Sazid should obtain an NOC before leaving any job,” but did not clarify if US-Bangla would retract his appointment.
Sazid declined to comment.
Aviation expert Captain Nurul Huda highlighted systemic gaps: “This situation demands stronger regulatory measures to ensure compliance with legal and company policies. Without accountability, such disputes risk undermining industry standards.”
