VZCZCXRO4121
RR RUEHAST RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW
DE RUEHKA #0770 2161005
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 041005Z AUG 09
FM AMEMBASSY DHAKA
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9271
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHMT/AMCONSUL MONTREAL 0001

UNCLAS DHAKA 000770 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INSB AND SCA/RA 
STATE PASS TO USTDA FOR JACOB FLEWELLING 
STATE PASS TO FAA FOR THOMAS NASKOVIAK 
NEW DELHI PASS TO FAA AARON WILKINS 
MONTREAL FOR FAA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAIR ECON ETRD BEXP BG
SUBJECT: CIVAIR CHIEF: BANGLADESH WANTS TO ENGAGE FAA 
ON CATEGORY ONE APPROVAL TO FLY BOEINGS TO U.S. 
 
REF A. DHAKA 739 AND PREVIOUS (NOTAL) 
 
SUMMARY 
------- 
 
¶1.  (U)  In an August 2 meeting with Emboffs, Sakeb Majlis, the 
Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) 
expressed hope that national carrier Biman Airlines would restart 
flights from Dhaka to New York, emphasizing the Government of 
Bangladesh's (GOB) determination to obtain Category 1 approval from 
the FAA.  Sakeb said he hoped the FAA would visit Bangladesh and 
promised to share the results of an ICAO audit of the CAAB when it 
is complete.  End summary. 
 
WILL SHARE ICAO AUDIT 
---------------------- 
 
¶2.  (SBU)  Emboffs called on Air Commodore Sakeb Iqbal Khan Majlis, 
the Chairman of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), 
on August 2 to discuss press reports claiming that a recent ICAO 
audit of CAAB's operations had identified a number of safety and 
security shortcomings.  (Note.  The CAAB is responsible for all 
elements of civil aviation in Bangladesh, including the physical 
infrastructure (airports, runways) and licensing, safety and 
security of aircraft and airlines.  End note.)  Sakeb explained that 
the ICAO report would not be complete for another 3 months, although 
ICAO had already identified some areas for CAAB to strengthen.  For 
example, Sakeb said, ICAO noted that the CAAB needed to strengthen 
its organization, specifically through a new law and increased staff 
for inspections. 
 
FAA CAT 1 STATUS A "REQUIREMENT" 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (U)  Sakeb emphasized that obtaining Category 1 status to allow 
Biman flights to the US is "a requirement, not just a priority" for 
the GOB.  Such flights would likely fly through Brussels or London, 
as Biman had done before, he averred.  According to Sakeb, the FAA 
last conducted an assessment of the CAAB in 1997, at which point 
CAAB passed on 3 out of 7 criteria.  He said he had spoken with FAA 
counterparts on the sidelines of recent multilateral meetings in 
China and Malaysia and wanted to maintain close contact with his USG 
counterparts. 
 
BOEING 777s FOR NY ROUTE 
------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U)  Sakeb declared that Biman's New York route would be flown 
by "the new Boeing 777s."  Sakeb conceded that some individuals were 
lobbying for Airbus to supplant Boeing's deal with Biman.  The 
Civair chief expressed confidence that the Boeing deal would go 
through, despite "some financial difficulties" that he implied 
might, in part, explain the delay (reftels). 
 
PROPOSED USTDA PROJECT: "TOO MANY GREY AREAS" 
----------------------- --------------------- 
 
¶5.  (U)  Asked about the CAAB's position on the USTDA's April 2008 
offer to fund FAA technical assistance, Sakeb said that the proposed 
"MOU" (his term) had many "grey areas" for the CAAB.  Sakeb 
explained that the CAAB had not moved forward with an earlier 
(unspecified) offer of FAA assistance, because CAAB wasn't able to 
obtain the necessary financing to bring FAA officials to Bangladesh. 
 Emboffs encouraged Sakeb to engage on the USTDA proposal. 
 
COMMENT: GOB ENGAGING WITH THE FAA 
----------------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U)  Sakeb said he hoped to meet with the FAA representative at 
the upcoming Director General's of Civil Aviation (DGCA) conference 
in Japan in October.  He proposed to share the ICAO audit with the 
FAA and then invite the FAA to visit Bangladesh to conduct an 
on-the-ground assessment of the CAAB.  Post will coordinate with FAA 
and USTDA to facilitate communication with the CAAB and jumpstart 
TDA's proposal to fund FAA technical assistance, part of our 
concerted effort to support Boeing and promote aviation safety. 
 
MORIARTY.