DHAKA: Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry has given a three-month ultimatum to Biman Bangladesh Airlines to improve the quality of ground-handling services or lose the business.

If the quality of ground handling of air-traffic operations is not improved, the ministry would call international tender for outsourcing the services, a meeting at the ministry Thursday decided.

Irregularities, corruption and poor-quality works in ground handling compelled the Ministry to take such a harsh decision, a source said.

However, Biman Bangladesh company chairman Air Marshal Jamal Uddin Ahmed told banglanews24.com.bd that Biman was “absolutely capable” of operating the ground-handling works.

“The ultimatum undermines Biman’s effort which has been doing the job perfectly,” he said, and his instant opposition betrayed a reported tug-of-war between the authorities.

Biman counts losses in different other areas, but the ground-handling works give it Tk 200 crore a year, sources said.

Local and international airliners were unhappy with substandard ground-handling works performed by the Biman workforce.

Ground-handling tasks include the loading and unloading of goods of local and international airlines, issuing boarding card, landing aircraft, parking, power, energy and AC supply to airplanes, high lifter, ladder, toe-tractor supply, placing stairs, bus services, engineering support, cargo services and serving food.

Allegations are rife that a section officers and employees of Biman are involved in smuggling through the no-go zone for commoners--and they use the chance of ground-handling business.

BDST: 2045 HRS, AUGUST 19, 2010