Biman: Aakashe Shantir Neer seriously?

Muhammad Eusha

Negligence and insouciance are so clearly manifested in almost every sector in Bangladesh that it probably does not require to be astute to be able to observe their presence. Biman Bangladesh Airlines, the national career, is not beyond the grasp of corruption and the culture of reproachable carelessness in dealing with matters of great urgency. The service of Biman has deteriorated at such an astonishing pace that nowadays even the first class bus services between the major cities in Bangladesh offer better hospitality for passengers. The equipment, the airplanes themselves are, most of them at least, outrageously old and shabby looking. They have been in service for such a long period of time that their haplessly dilapidated condition rouses fear in the hearts of the passengers. My fellow passenger one day on a domestic flight to Chittagong described the harrowing experience he had had earlier this year in Abu Dhabi; the Biman planes wheels refused to be lowered and the aircraft was circling in the air over the airport for about an hour while everyone aboard was praying what they thought was their last prayer. The wheels did lower somehow inexplicably in the end but not before the plane had almost run out of even the last drop of fuel in its tank! Many swore that day that they would never choose Biman again. Akashe Shantir Neer (it translates to peaceful adobe in the sky), the very smartly written slogan for Biman seems to be only a sentence with no practical significance attached to it. Another day on another domestic flight to another city I found the aircraft toilet resembling a toilet on one of those trains of Bangladesh Railway! The stewardess smiled and suggested in an annoyingly casual way that it would be unwise to use the toilet since there was no water inside. What was most embarrassing for me was that I found a Chinese gentleman also needed to use the toilet and he too was given the same solemn warning by the stewardess who had on tastelessly ostentatious make up. I felt at that moment as if our whole nation was humiliated because of the negligence of the person who was in charge of making sure the aircraft toilet was usable. The air conditioner often does not work at all on the planes and the passengers suffer in the intense heat and humidity miserably. The stewards and stewardesses are probably the most incompetent I have seen considering those of all the other international commercial airlines I have had chances to fly. Most of our crew on board cannot communicate in English and have very poor knowledge of appropriate manners and decency. The shamefully low quality and standard of food and beverage served are two of the most infamous aspects of Bimans hospitality. The incident of a passenger finding a cockroach in his lunch served on board once was widely publicized by the news; again Biman let us down by hurting our image as a nation to the rest of the world. Our national career is supposed to represent our culture, values and spirit to other nations across the world. I would not be surprised if just by evaluating the unacceptably poor service of Biman other nationals surmise a very negative view about the whole nation. Biman officials, policymakers and everyone responsible within the organization must forsake the tendency to blame it all

on lack of money. The odoriferous Biman toilets reeking of unpleasant smell cannot be an effect of dearth of money but is one of lack of responsibility! Sense of responsibility is bound to reinvigorate the supply of money itself. Let us hope Biman lifts itself to such a height that it truly can call itself a peaceful adobe in the sky in the future.
Muhammad Eusha is a columnist of the Daily Sun