Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday inspected the second Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner of Biman Bangladesh Airlines at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka.
She inspected and boarded the aircraft named ‘Hangsabalaka’ at the VVIP Tarmac of the HSIA, reports state news agency BSS.
After boarding, the premier went round different zones of the aircraft including the cockpit and talked to the officials of Biman.
A munajat was offered seeking continued peace, progress and prosperity of the nation on the occasion.
Civil Aviation and Tourism Minister AKM Shahjahan Kamal, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on the Ministry Muhammad Faruk Khan, senior officials of the Prime Minister’s Office and Bangladesh Biman were present at that time.
The new aircraft landed at HSIA on Dec 1. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina named the aircraft as ‘Hangsabalaka’.
The Dreamliner reached HSIA at 11:40pm on Dec 1 as the 15th aircraft of the national flag carrier after making an uninterrupted 15-hour flight from the USA’s Seattle’s Boeing Factory.
Earlier, the Boeing authority handed over the ownership of the brand new aircraft to Biman’s Director (Flight Operation) Captain Farhat Hasan Jamil in Seattle on Nov 29.
The aircraft will make its debut on Dhaka-London route on Dec 10, Biman officials said.
Earlier, the first Boeing 787-8 Dreamliner, known as Akash Beena, arrived here on Aug 19 opening up a new era of modern aviation with latest modelled aircraft in Bangladesh Biman.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina inaugurated the aircraft on Sept 1 last.
The two Dreamliners will operate six flights on Dhaka-London route, four on Dhaka-Dammam route and three on Dhaka-Bangkok route in a week from Dec 10, the Biman officials said.
The 271-seat Boeing 787-8 has been designed as 20 percent fuel efficient carrier than the other aircraft. The airliner has the capacity to fly 16 hours nonstop with an average speed of 650 miles per hour.
It will provide its passengers with WiFi services at a height of 43,000 feet, allowing passengers to browse the internet or connect with their friends and family at any end of the world.
In 2008, Biman Bangladesh Airlines signed a US$2.1 billion agreement with Boeing to purchase 10 new aircraft.
Of these, Boeing has already delivered four 777-300ER’s, two 737-800’s and two Dreamliners to Biman.
Two more Dreamliners — Rajhangsha and Shankhachil — would be added to the Biman’s fleet by September next, the officials added.
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