36 foreign nationals apply for Biman CEO post
A total of 36 foreign nationals have applied for the post of managing director and chief executive officer for Biman Bangladesh Airlines.
Of them, only four are Bangladeshi citizen.
A high official of Biman told the Dhaka Tribune only short-listed candidates will be called for an interview.
Former Civil Aviation Authority, Bangladesh chairman Air Commodore Iqbal Hossain (retd), former Biman managing director Air Commodore Zakiul Islam (retd), former acting Biman managing director Capt Nasser and former acting Biman managing director Mosaddeque Ahmed have applied for the post.
The national flag carrier has been struggling over the past few years to come to terms with the lack of skilled managing director and foreign carriers’ influence in the local aviation market.
Kyle Haywood, the immediate past former managing director of Biman, who was on a prolonged leave since October, finally didn’t return.
The British national did not even communicate with the management while being on leave.
Kyle joined the Biman in last January. The Biman boss was hired to rescue the ailing aviation business, but to no avail. His continued absence from office took a heavy toll on the national flag carrier.
Under the circumstances, the Biman board of directors, highest policy-making body of the airliner, decided to hire a new managing director, and thereby issued a circular on November last year.
Another Biman official said it is a rare example that 36 foreigners applied for the post. Earlier, only three to four foreign nationals used to apply.
“In a sense, it is a positive note for the national carrier. The image of Biman is reflected in a positive way and so foreign nationals shows interest to take the helm of Biman,” the official said, asking not to be named.
Kazi Wahidul Alam former board member of Biman said foreigners have already known that there is a huge scope in Biman to earn money without being held accountable.
This opportunity captures their attention to apply for the post of Biman boss, he added.
“Recruitment process of Biman is totally wrong. National carrier should follow international practice in which CEOs of different airlines and multinational companies are recruited by head hunting companies.”
Otherwise, Biman wouldn’t be able to appoint genuine professionals, said Wahidul.
Biman appointed first foreigner Kevin Steele in 2013 on a two-year contract. Just after one year he left Biman on health grounds.
In January 2015, Kyle Haywood joined the Biman as CEO
