For the fiscal year 2023–2024, Biman Bangladesh Airlines generated Tk 105.75 billion in revenue and a net profit of Tk 2.82 billion.
Biman made the announcement on Monday after disclosing its fiscal year income and expenses at its Annual General Meeting, or AGM, on Saturday.
The chairman of Biman’s Board of Directors, Abdul Muyeed Chowdhury, presided over the AGM. Every member of the board attended the meeting.
Among the shareholders were representatives from the Ministry of Commerce, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism, and Cabinet Division.
The statement claims that Biman’s operational profit for the fiscal year was Tk 15.56 billion, which represents a 9.5 percent increase over the prior year.
However, tax expenses and exchange rate changes had an impact on the final net profit.
With net profits in eight of the previous ten fiscal years, this is the fourth consecutive year that the national flag carrier has been profitable since the COVID-19 pandemic.
The state-owned airline used 21 aircraft to carry 3.36 million passengers to 30 domestic and international destinations in FY 2023–24, an increase of almost 100,000 over the previous fiscal year.
Transporting 43,044 metric tonnes of cargo also brought in Tk 6.37 billion for the airline, a 60% increase over the previous year.
Biman handled 350,222 metric tonnes of cargo at Shahjalal International Airport, which represents a 33.1 percent increase over the prior fiscal year.
Along with non-scheduled flights, the airline also offered ground handling services to 32 international passenger airlines and 17 cargo airlines.
In FY 2023–2024, Biman handled 6.64 million passengers from 33,297 international airline flights.
The statement emphasized that the government has not provided Biman Bangladesh Airlines with any subsidies during the previous 53 years. By November 2024, it will have paid back Tk 125.74 million, or $1.04 billion, including loans and interest, for the purchase of 13 new aircraft.
The fiscal year 2023–2024 alone saw the repayment of Tk 12.74 billion.
During the fiscal year, the airline paid Tk 9.26 billion in taxes and value-added tax, or VAT, to the national treasury.
Additionally, it spent Tk 245.1 million on ground service equipment (GSE) for the third terminal, with plans to buy more equipment in the future.
