The announcement came after a meeting between State Minister for Civil Aviation Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Biman Sammilito Sangram Parishad (BSSP), a combined body of various trade unions.

Sangram Parishad leaders said the meeting with the minister at his office was fruitful and so they have suspended the strike scheduled to take effect from September 7.

Announced on Sunday, the strike and other demonstration programmes were aimed at pressing for urgent measures to make the state airline solvent.

Parishad Convener Captain SM Helal told The Daily Star last night,"We are happy with the outcome of the meeting. He [Fakhrul Islam] has assured us that he'll do everything necessary to bail Biman out of the remorseless crunch."

Meeting sources said the state minister has pledged some funds and a committee has been formed to ensure best utilisation of that money. The committee is comprised of Biman managing director, director (finance), director (planning) and the BSSP convener.

He also assured the Sangram Parishad leaders that the airline will soon be paid the money that is owed to the government for hajj flights and carrying VIP passengers.

Besides, funds will be allocated for buying new aircraft.

''We asked for Tk 1200 crore and have been promised a sum. But for some strategic reasons we won't disclose the amount, '' Helal, also a leader of Bangladesh Airline Pilots Association (BAPA), said adding that they will however be able to sustain with the money pledged.

SAIFUR- FAKHRUL MEET
Finance Minister M Saifur Rahman yesterday said the government does not have any budgetary allocation for cash-strapped Bangladesh Biman but he may try for bank loans if the national flag carrier submits a cost-reduction programme.

"I don't have any money for Biman. But I have asked them to submit a cost-reduction programme within two to three days. I can talk to the banks whether it is possible to arrange any funds for them," he told reporters after a meeting with State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

Bangladesh Biman incurred a loss of around Tk 1,000 crore in the last fiscal year. Faced with acute financial crisis, it is now unable to pay salaries to its employees.

It has requested the finance ministry for immediate allocation of around Tk 700 crore.

Mirza Alamgir sat with Saifur yesterday to discuss the proposal that Biman had submitted to the finance ministry earlier.

According to sources, the finance minister blasted the Biman authorities for not having a cost-reduction strategy and contingency plans to get through the financial difficulties like the current ones.

"Biman is a corporation and so, its chairman and managing director have a responsibility to ensure that its employees have their salaries. Now tell me how do I arrange funds for them?" he asked reporters.

Referring to an indefinite strike called by the Biman employees, Saifur said it is quite logical for them to go on a strike when they are not being paid the salaries.

Blaming the prevailing situation on a state of severe mismanagement, he said, "They have long been in the crisis, yet they didn't bother to take any meaningful initiative."

Saifur has asked the airline authorities to devise a long-term scheme to become a profitable organisation.

The Biman employees claim that the airline has plunged deeper into financial crisis due to massive corruption of some top officials.

They have long been calling for an honest and pure management to be installed immediately to strengthen Biman.