Biman Pilots to Refrain from Operating Special Flights as They Face Salary Disparity

The Bangladesh Airlines Pilots' Association (BAPA) has asked that Biman pay its pilots regular salaries, as it does for its other employees.

Otherwise, the pilots will refrain from conducting any additional flights beyond July 30 unless they are part of a bilateral agreement between Bangladesh Biman Airlines and the pilots' association, according to a statement released by BAPA.

According to BAPA, there are now 157 pilots operating in Bangladesh. Due to the pandemic, it was agreed to reduce their pay by 25% to 50% starting in May 2020.

On Tuesday, however, an office order signed by Biman's Director (Administration), Ziauddin Ahmed, reversed the compensation cutbacks for all officers and staff, with the exception of pilots.

The pilots were "very dissatisfied" by the decision, according to the BAPA statement.

Following a meeting of BAPA on Wednesday, the association's general secretary, Capt Syed Nazmul Hasan, stated that if the Biman authorities did not change the decision, pilots would have to take tougher steps.

BAPA wrote to Biman's Director of Flight Operations (DFO) on Monday in this regard.