The 16-day time-limit for accepting the offer of retiring willingly ends today.

However, no high level officials like general manager or director, have accepted the VRS so far, sources said.

Only four to five deputy general managers retired voluntarily while the rest are from the managerial level or below, they added.

On June 5, Biman Bangladesh Airlines offered the VRS to its employees in order to downsize its staff to 3,400 by axing about 1,500 current employees.

"A committee would start scrutinising the applications of the respondents from tomorrow," managing director (MD) of Biman Dr MA Momen told The Daily Star, adding that the committee would decide whom they need and whom they do not.

"We will not let anyone quit who we think are needed for Biman," the Biman MD said.

The current workforce of Biman is around 4,800, while the approved number of staff of the airlines is 6,800 according to the present organogram.

The VRS is part of the government plan to turn the national flag carrier into a public limited company (PLC) and to make it a healthy and profitable commercial venture. The process for turning Biman into a PLC is almost complete, Biman high officials said.

Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism has almost finalised the Memorandum of Association (rules and regulations of Biman), Articles of Association (terms and conditions) and ordinance, under which Bangladesh Biman Corporation would become Bangladesh Airlines Limited, sources said.