Failure to launch

At this point in time, stories of struggles of our aviation industry come as no surprise to anyone. Nevertheless, it remains disheartening to learn from experts that, even after over 50 years of independence as a nation, we are yet to have a functional aviation industry, much less a thriving one.

As per the experts speaking at a panel discussion as part of a workshop, titled “Aviation Industry in Bangladesh: Prospects and Challenges” organized by the Aviation Operators Association of Bangladesh (AOAB), Bangladesh’s aviation sector is struggling due to a lack of a roadmap, absence of proper monitoring, and political will on the part of the government.

The latter issue is particularly worrisome; there is no doubting the incredible transformation Bangladesh has made as an economy, particularly over the last 15 years or so, but the fact that we have not paid sufficient attention to our aviation industry is indeed a shame.

While the woes of our national carrier Biman have been well documented, and this newspaper has repeatedly editorialized to consider privatizing it, the overall scenario of the domestic market is far from ideal. Much of that blame can indeed once again be traced to the national carrier, with other domestic airlines often lacking the incentives and access to finance necessary for effective turnarounds.

All of this points to the fact that a change is needed, as soon as possible. A master plan, as proposed during the panel discussion, is the very least that must be formulated. Moreover, the authorities must start prioritizing this sector; we cannot be a functional, high-income economy if we have an aviation sector that is yet to truly take flight.