The government is planning to procure an aircraft for VVIP flights to ensure the security of the president and the prime minister during their official visits abroad. Bangladesh Air Force will operate the special aircraft, sources in the civil aviation and tourism ministry said yesterday. The civil aviation and tourism ministry has prepared a report for the purchase of the aircraft for approval.

Shafique Alam Mehedi, acting secretary of the civil aviation and tourism ministry, yesterday told The Independent that they have decided to purchase a 'VVIP Aircraft'. "We will send a proposal to the competent authority seeking permission to purchase the aircraft. Then we will start the process to buy it," he said. The secretary also said that the aircraft to be purchased with a view to lessening hassle to passengers during the travels abroad of VVIPs by Bangladesh Biman or foreign airlines.

Sources said that the chief executive officer (CEO) of Bangladesh Biman Airlines Limited sent a proposal relating to purchase of a special aircraft for VVIP flights on August 9 last in accordance with a decision of the board of directors of the airlines. In his proposal, the CEO said: "There is a shortage of aircraft in the fleet of the national flag carrier Biman. With its limited number of aircraft in the fleet, most of which are aged, it is simply impossible to provide services to passengers and ensure security of VVIPs during their travel abroad."

He said the Biman usually faces serious problems whenever a VVIP flies to a destination which is not on the scheduled route of the national flag carrier. For this reason, the Biman authorities came up with a proposal to procure a special aircraft, particularly for carrying VVIPs abroad. Referring to the prime minister's recent visit to Sweden and Bhutan, the sources said: "We cannot ensure a fool-proof security to the prime minister and her entourage when they travel to countries where there is no flight of Biman. We also passed our days in anxiety during the VVIPs' visit abroad as they had to choose foreign airlines for their trips." Home minister Advocate Sahara Khatun said earlier that there was a threat to the life of the prime minister following the start of the appeal hearing in the Bangabandhu Murder Case and the government's initiative to try the war criminals.

-The Independent