Bangladesh’s aviation sector is facing a deepening credibility crisis as regulatory dilution, operational failures, and serious safety lapses threaten the country’s compliance with international aviation standards, raising the spectre of global sanctions.

Aviation experts warn that the convergence of weakened regulation under the Civil Aviation (Amendment) Ordinance 2025, unlicensed Flight Operations Inspectors, flawed pilot licensing practices, and widespread violations of flight duty time regulations could trigger a Significant Safety Concern (SSC) declaration by the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO)—effectively placing Bangladesh’s aviation sector on a global blacklist.

Officials at the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) have repeatedly expressed concern that the new ordinance transfers critical regulatory powers to the civil aviation ministry, undermining timely decision-making and jeopardising compliance with ICAO requirements. 

An unnamed senior CAAB official said the ordinance has eroded regulatory independence. “Under the Civil Aviation Act 2017, Section 14 empowers the Chairman to issue and amend safety regulations promptly, ensuring compliance with ICAO timelines. The gazetted 2025 amendment, however, introduced procedural hurdles, undefined timelines, and multiple layers of approval, which could delay the implementation of ICAO-mandated changes and place Bangladesh behind international safety standards,” the official said.

Former CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal (retd) M Mofidur Rahman warned that the consequences could be severe if the current trajectory continues.

He said one of the fundamental obligations under the Chicago Convention is that civil aviation must be operated independently.

“If laws are enacted that compromise this independence, it directly contradicts the commitments we have already ratified and will expose Bangladesh to questions from other signatory states,” he said.

According to Rahman, the fallout would extend well beyond ICAO audits. Bangladesh could face adverse outcomes in international aviation forums, while any prospect of achieving Category-1 status from the US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), a prerequisite for operating flights to the United States, would become unattainable.

He cautioned that ICAO could either issue a Significant Safety Concern or compel Bangladesh to amend its laws as a corrective measure.

The former CAAB chief also questioned the legitimacy of introducing such a far-reaching law during the tenure of an interim government.

“An interim government does not have the mandate to enact a law of this magnitude. Those responsible will have to provide serious explanations to the public,” he said, adding that the original law was passed by parliament and cannot be altered in this manner.

“I am afraid of the direction this situation is taking,” he concluded.

Originally scheduled for 2022, the ICAO audit has been postponed repeatedly amid concerns over CAAB’s preparedness—first to 2024, then to March 2026. CAAB has now requested that the audit be further deferred to late 2026 or early 2027.

The Secretary General of the Aviation Operators Association of Bangladesh (AOAB), Md Mofizur Rahman, echoed concerns over regulatory autonomy, stressing that civil aviation must function as an independent and self-governing authority.

He said that while CAAB is legally mandated to operate independently, persistent ministerial interference has weakened its authority in practice. He noted that although the CAAB Chairman has limited financial discretion—reportedly around Tk 30–40 crore—most strategic and operational decisions still require ministry approval.

According to Rahman, dual control over projects and operations has complicated decision-making, delayed execution, and weakened financial management. He also criticised the appointment of consultants who do not meet required professional criteria, warning that such interventions further undermine regulatory independence.

“For civil aviation to ensure safe, efficient and internationally compliant operations, the authority must be allowed to exercise its powers independently, without external interference,” he said.

Unlicensed Inspectors Issuing Pilot Licences

At the centre of the controversy is CAAB’s licensing oversight system. Flight Operations Inspectors (FOIs), who are responsible for issuing and renewing pilot licences, are required under ICAO Document 8335 (Para 6.2.1.1) to hold valid pilot licences, current type ratings and full operational competency—a requirement mirrored in Bangladesh’s own civil aviation procedures.

However, multiple CAAB sources confirmed that most officials currently performing FOI duties do not possess valid Air Transport Pilot Licences (ATPL). In several cases, licences reportedly expired more than a decade ago—one as far back as 19 years—yet those officials continue to approve licences and conduct audits.

Of the six FOIs currently in position, five reportedly hold long-expired licences, including Capt. Rafi Ul Haque (expired 2006), Capt. Farid Uz Zaman (2015), Capt. Ashraful Azhar (2016), Capt. Abdul Majed Mia (2015), and Capt. Monirul Haque Joarder (expired July 2025).

Another official, Capt. Ferdous Hossain, reportedly obtained his ATPL at the age of 68 without CAAB seeking mandatory medical documentation, despite ICAO requirements.

Aviation experts argue that inspectors without valid licences are legally and technically unfit to assess pilot competency, supervise simulator checks, verify medical certificates, or approve training records—casting doubt over the integrity of the entire licensing system.

Questionable Qualifications and Safety Oversight

Concerns extend beyond licensing validity to qualifications and experience. ICAO and CAAB regulations require a minimum of 5,000 command flight hours to qualify as an FOI. Yet officials such as Capt. Ashraful Azhar reportedly fall short of this threshold and lack commercial flight command experience.

Some inspectors were previously removed from airline service due to medical issues or training failures, yet remain responsible for auditing airlines and certifying domestic and foreign Approved Training Organizations (ATOs).

Aviation specialists warn that audits conducted by unqualified inspectors may be deemed invalid during international scrutiny, further jeopardising Bangladesh’s compliance standing.

Excessive Flight Time Violations at Flag Carrier

Parallel to licensing failures, serious violations of Flight Duty Time Limitations (FDTL) have been reported at Biman Bangladesh Airlines.

Under CAAB Air Navigation Order (ANO) 6-1 Appendix 11, aligned with ICAO Annex 6, commercial pilots are limited to a maximum of 1,000 flight hours in any consecutive 12-month period, with only narrowly defined exemptions.

However, internal communications and safety reports indicate that Biman pilots have been compelled to fly up to 1,200 hours annually, with some reportedly exceeding 1,400 hours within a single year.

Flight crews say more than 500 safety reports citing flight time violations were submitted to the airline’s safety department over the past six months, none of which were addressed.

Emails from senior management reportedly instructed operations to continue “even by bursting flight time.” Pilots who refused assignments allegedly faced intimidation, career stagnation and mental harassment. Insiders claim exemptions allowing extended flight hours have been routinely approved since 2022, allegedly with the involvement of certain CAAB officials.

Medical consequences have already emerged. Reports indicate that six pilots suffered heart attacks, two lost consciousness during operations, several underwent spinal surgery, and one pilot became critically ill mid-flight—raising grave concerns over fatigue-induced safety risks.

What a Blacklist Would Mean

Aviation analysts warn that the cumulative impact of unlicensed inspectors, unlawful licensing practices, excessive flight hours, regulatory dilution and weak oversight could prompt ICAO’s Coordinated Validation Mission (ICVM) to identify Bangladesh as having a Significant Safety Concern.

Such a designation would severely restrict Bangladesh’s local airlines limiting route expansion, aircraft leasing, code-share agreements and access to key international markets. Negative assessments from the FAA, the European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) and the International Air Transport Association (IATA) could follow.

Experts caution that unless urgent corrective action is taken, restoring - ICAO compliant licensing standards, enforcing flight time regulations, appointing qualified inspectors and preserving regulatory independence, Bangladesh risks long-term damage to its aviation reputation and global connectivity.

As one expert warns, “If these inconsistencies persist, passing the next ICAO audit will be extremely difficult. The cost of failure will not be borne by the aviation sector alone, but by the country’s global standing.”