Biman reports ‘theft’ of 10 wheels

Biman Bangladesh Airlines has filed a general diary (GD) with the Airport Police Station, alleging that two of its employees handed over 10 used aircraft wheels to an official of a private airline without proper authorisation.

The GD was lodged on Monday by Biman’s Assistant Manager (Security) Mosharref Hossain, said Airport Police chief (OC) Taslima Akter.

An internal investigation is now under way, with airline officials confirming that the matter is being treated “seriously”.

The incident follows a series of mechanical failures in recent weeks, which have already raised concerns about the national carrier’s maintenance practices.

Speaking on condition of anonymity, an airline official said each of the missing wheels could be valued between $5,000 and $15,000. “That puts the total value close to Tk 1 crore [10 million],” the official added.

The wheels, described as used but not scrapped, were stored beside the hangar at Shahjalal International Airport, in an area designated as the auction shed.

According to the complaint, they were found missing on the evening of Aug 16.

While the police report does not explicitly term the case as “theft”, the official filing says after the wheels went missing, two Biman employees -- material management supervisor Arman Hossain and store helper Shamsul Haque -- were questioned.

They reportedly admitted to handing over the tyres to Shafiqul Islam, an assistant general manager at US-Bangla Airlines, for “use”. This was allegedly done without informing the “relevant authorities.

“We are taking steps as per procedure,” said OC Taslima.

Attempts to contact US-Bangla Airlines spokesperson Kamrul Islam on Tuesday night were unsuccessful.

In the past month, at least eight Biman Boeing aircraft faced technical faults, including tyre blowouts, causing flight cancellations and delays.

In response, Biman issued a statement on Tuesday announcing immediate and long-term measures to ensure passenger safety and service standards.

The airline said: “Biman management prioritises passenger safety and service quality, conducting thorough investigations and ensuring accountability for each incident.”

A high-level four-member committee has been formed to review technical issues between Jul 1 and Aug 13, it added.

The panel will examine maintenance records and operational processes for each flight to identify causes and determine responsibility for any negligence.

Recommendations will be made to prevent recurrence, with the report due within 10 working days.

According to the statement, the airline has already made personnel changes as part of its “accountability measures”.

Two officials have been transferred, and more changes are expected. One engineer has been relocated as disciplinary action, while another in Chattogram has received a show-cause notice, it said.

To improve technical readiness, the airline has started stocking additional aircraft tyres at major international outstations, including Jeddah, Dubai, Madinah, Dammam, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Procurement orders have already been placed.