The Biman Bangladesh Airlines has finally taken steps to realise outstanding cargo-handling charges from non-scheduled freighters, officials said.
A two-member committee has already been formed to realise the charges for the period from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2017, they said.
The committee has been asked to submit the probe report by 20 days.
Headed by general manager of revenue and FMIS department Mizanur Rashid, the committee has been assigned to identify the persons involved in the irregularities and recover the unrealised money for the said period.
Manager (Security) Maj (retd) Ahmed Moktada Monoj was made the member secretary.
In a letter issued by director (administration), it was mentioned that according to para 3.18 of Cargo Audit Report 2017, US$90,26,598.02 was recoverable from the non-scheduled freighters for carrying over 50.83 million kgs of inbound and 33.68 million kgs of outbound goods.
But the cargo complex authority of Biman informed the audit team that they did not collect charges from the non-scheduled freighters as there was no circular regarding the issue, the letter reads.
It was mentioned in the same letter issued on July 18 that the internal audit department observed in their audit objections that there is no scope for not realising the charges on the plea of not having any circular.
Talking to the FE, Biman managing director AM Mosaddique Ahmed said that an inquiry committee has been formed in this regard about five days ago. They are yet to receive the report.
"We have not received the report. I expect the report within 15 days as the committee has been formed four or five days ago," he said.
An internal audit team of the Biman unearthed 'serious' irregularities in collection of cargo handling charges at its cargo complex since 2008.
The cargo complex authority of Biman did not collect the basic and other charges from non-scheduled freighters at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport since 2008, said the audit report.
It was done in violation of the IATA Clearing House (ICH) billing, the audit report revealed.
The internal audit team found that inbound non-scheduled freighters carried over 50 million kilograms of cargo during the period from January 01, 2016 to December 31, 2017.
Over 33 million kgs of cargo were carried by outbound non-scheduled freighters during the same period.
The Cargo Audit Report 2017 said that over $9.02 million or Tk 750 million was collectable by the cargo department of the Biman during the period of 2016-17.
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