1

Report on
Management Information System of Biman Bangladesh Airlines
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Table of Contents

CHAPTER 1: Preface
- Introduction
- Background
- Objective of the Report
- Scope of the Report
- Methodology
- Limitations

CHAPTER 2: Summary of Biman Bangladesh’s Journey

- Overview of Bangladesh Airlines
- Expansion
- Privatisation
- Services
- Flight classes and amenities
- Biman Cargo
- Destinations
- Hajj Flights

CHAPTER 3: MIS and Existing Practices

- Management Information Systems
- Dimensions of Information Systems
- Organisations
- Management
- Technology
- Contemporary approaches of Information Systems
- Business Process
- Types of Information System

CHAPTER 4: Analysing MIS at Biman Bangladesh

- Business Process of Biman Bangladesh
- Types of Information Systems at Biman Bangladesh
- Enterprise Application
● Enterprise Resource Planning
● Supply Chain Management
● Customer Relationship Management
● Knowledge Management Systems

CHAPTER 5: Closure
- Findings
- Recommendations
- Conclusion
- References
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Chapter 1
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Introduction:
Biman Bangladesh Airlines, established in 1972, holds a significant position as the national
flag carrier and a symbol of pride for Bangladesh. Over the decades, it has played a vital role
in connecting the nation with the rest of the world, fostering economic growth, cultural
exchange, and tourism. Operating an extensive network of domestic and international flights,
Biman serves as a lifeline for millions of passengers, transporting them with efficiency and
safety.

Renowned for its warm hospitality and dedication to service excellence, Biman strives to
provide passengers with a memorable travel experience. Whether flying to regional
destinations or distant corners of the globe, passengers aboard Biman flights are greeted
with the warmth and hospitality characteristic of Bangladeshi culture.

Despite facing challenges and competition in the dynamic aviation industry, Biman
Bangladesh Airlines remains committed to its mission of serving the people of Bangladesh
and beyond. With a focus on innovation, operational efficiency, and customer satisfaction,
Biman continues to evolve and adapt to meet the changing needs of travellers in the 21st
century. As Bangladesh's flagship carrier, Biman Bangladesh Airlines stands poised to
continue its legacy of connecting nations and bridging cultures in the years to come.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines transports travellers in its home country and elsewhere. The
company, also known as Biman Air, is the national airline of Bangladesh. With a fleet of 12
planes, it serves three domestic airports and nearly 20 international destinations from its hub
in the capital city of Dhaka, Countries served include China, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia,
and Thailand. Biman Air also flies to London and Rome. The airline also provides cargo
services, and its catering service provides in-flight meals for other airlines operating out of
Dhaka, including Russian carrier Aeroflot. Biman Air runs its own poultry farm to support its
catering operations.

Background:
British Airways is a flag carrier and UK's largest international scheduled airlines.It was
formed on 1st September in 1974 through nationalism by the labour government. In
February 1987 the company was privatised under the slogan of 'The world's favourite
airlines the British airways group consists of British airways ple which operates in 550
destinations at convenient times in nationally and internationally as a result it is considered
to be a leader in airlines industry. However Biman Bangladesh airlines are the flag carrier
airlines in Bangladesh was formed on 4th of January in 1972 and there weren't any others
private company as a result Biman enjoyed countries internal monopoly until 1996,

The airline was fully owned and managed by the government of Bangladesh under the
ministry of civil aviation and tourism of Bangladesh until 23rd of July 2007. It has an air
service agreement with 42 countries but operates to 16 countries only. The company was
transformed into the country's largest public limited company on 23rd July 2007 by the
caretaker government. Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. was in a serious financial crisis
facing financial loss every year and fleet crisis and this entire situation led to the rebranding
campaign of Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd.
For Biman to be a profitable airline there has to be a strategy suitable for Biman to compete
with other airlines and an overhaul of the top management. The management must have the
 5

freedom to plan and execute and if it has to remain in the public sector, the board members
should be carefully chosen so that they are committed and spare enough time to give policy
guidelines, oversee the affairs and hold the management accountable. The rationalising of
the fleet,manpower strength and distribution and a corporate vision must be drawn up so
that goals of departments can be drawn up. Any attempt to privatise Biman will face
opposition but there is no second option.

To create an efficient and dynamic airline, Biman has to reinvent itself, shed off the extra fat,
take advantage of information technology (IT) to create a modern workplace conducive to
efficient management and availability of real-time information. A system of accountability and
flow of information throughout the organisation is crucial for its well-being and Biman is
lacking in this regard.

Objective of the Report:

● To understand MIS as a field of study and as a field of business.
● To know about the scenario of MIS practices in Bangladesh.
● To identify the function of MIS of Biman Bangladesh.
● To know about the MIS practices from a global perspective.
● To investigate the problems/challenges of MIS in Bangladesh.
● To provide recommendations to solve the problem for excellence performance of
MIS.

Scope of the Report:

We have prepared this report basically on the history of Biman Bangladesh Airlines
management. style, services, destination of Biman Bangladesh Airlines, Information
Technology, e ticketing, Web Booking, E-Commerce Solutions, Credit Card Sale through
POS. Cybercrime Solution, Biman's Problems, Recommendations of Biman Bangladesh
Airlines.

Methodology:
In order to prepare this report titled "Biman Bangladesh Airlines". I have collected the
required data from secondary sources. I have collected required information in order to focus
on the conditions of "Biman Bangladesh Airlines". Here are the data Sources for the Study:

Websites of Biman Bangladesh Airlines

Published statements in newspapers, like The Daily star, Financial express, BBC news, and
Annual Report of the "Biman Bangladesh Airlines 2023".

Limitations of the study

From the beginning to the end,the study has been conducted with the intention of making it as a
complete and truthful one. However, many problems appeared in the way of conducting the
study. The study considers following limitations:
● Limited route network
● Ageing fleet
● Inconsistent service quality
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● Punctuality issues
● Lack of modern amenities and technology
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Chapter 2
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2.1 Introduction:

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd. the national flag carrier of Bangladesh has started its
journey from scratch virtually with no aircraft, no ancillaries. It came into operation
immediately after the war of independence. Despite many odds on its journey towards a long
and challenging way to progress, Biman has been able to establish its reputation as an
airline of welcome smile and an ocean of hospitality.

Biman now carries the nation's flag to South Asia, South-East Asia and Far-East, Gulf and
Middle-East region and European Countries. A steady progress has been made with better
services ensuring increased passengers. To make Biman passengers feel "once Biman
always Biman" the airline has recently brought in some qualitative changes in its service
concept. Himan has been aiming in achieving the goal of being truly international
commercially viable airline of the region with its warmth and friendliness, care, safety record,
traditional hospitality and comfort of the services it offered. Biman is now flying even higher
with great pride around the globe with the hi-color, the nation's flag.

2.2 History:

Biman Bangladesh Airlines was established on 4 January 1972 to be Bangladesh's national

airline under the Bangladesh Biman Ordinance. The initiative to launch the flag currier was
taken by 2,500 former employees, including 10 Bocing 707 commanders and 7 other pilots,
of PTA- Pakistan International Airlines, who submitted a proposal to the government on 31
December 1971 following the independence of Bangladesh. The airline was initially called
Air Bangladesh International but was soon renamed Biman Bangladesh Airlines

In modern Bengali, the word (Biman) refers to "aero plane", originating from the Sanskrit
word vimana, a name given to a flying machine mentioned in ancient Vedic literature. The
logo. painted on the tail, is a stylized white stork bolaka inside a red circle. The initial livery
was a dark blue line extending across the aircraft along the windows and covering the tail
section. This was replaced in the 1980 by dark green and red lines, matching the colors of
the Bangladesh flag, and has remained for over two decades. The bolaka has also given its
name to the Himan headquarters, the bolaka bhoban and a landmark sculpture in Dhaka
depicting storks is in front of Biman's former headquarters.

On 4 February 1972, Biman started its domestic service on the Dhaka Chittagong, Dhaka-
Jessore and Dhaka-Sylhet routes with a World War 11 vintage Douglas Dakota and Douglas
DC-3, both gifts from the Bangladesh Air Force. On 10 February 1972, Biman experienced
its first accident when the Douglas DC-3 crashed near Dhaka during a flight test, killing all
five crew members. In 1974 operations were extended to Kathmandu, Bangkok and Dubai.

2.3 Administrative Structure:

Biman Bangladesh Airlines Ltd, is operated through a Board of Directors. Usually, this board
of
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directors is headed by a chairman who is supposed to be accountable to a higher authority.

According to the company's organogram, the Managing Director (MD) is the Chief Executive
Officer (CEO) of Himan. There are seven departments in Biman administration, finance,
flight operations, store and purchase, customer service, engineering, planning each headed
by an appointed Director of its own. Biman's management and most of the financial matters
fall under the responsibility of this Seven-member Executive Board.

Biman Bangladesh Airlines operates in Domestic & International schedule distinct (at
January 2005). At Present Biman Operates: Six domestic and twenty international Destinat
Destinations

Expansion:
The airport was initially served by domestic flights from Shahjalal International Airport by
country's national airline Biman Bangladesh Airlines. After many years of lobbying by
expatriates living in the UK, limited expansion of the airport was carried out to enable
medium- sized aircraft, such as the Airbus A310 used by Biman, to operate. The work was
completed in October 2002 and the airport was designated an international airport by the
government. However, the airport was not up to international standards to be capable of fully
accommodating international flights due to many shortcomings with the instrument landing
system and runway lighting system and was seen as a move to stave off pressure by the
government.

Two boarding bridges were just installed on the new apron.

Nevertheless, on 3 November 2002, the airport received its first international arrival, Biman
flight BG020 from Kuwait via Abu Dhabi landed at 10:05 with 215 passengers en-route to
Dhaka. The disembarking passengers on the inaugural flight were greeted by the then
Finance & Planning Minister. M Saifur Rahman and State Minister for Civil Aviation and
Tourism, Mir Mohammad Nasiruddin. For a brief period, Biman operated a direct service
from London but was later re-routed via Dhaka.

Management:
The airline was wholly owned by the Bangladesh government through the Bangladesh
Biman Corporation since its inception, In 1977, Biman was converted into a public sector
corporation which afforded Biman limited autonomy, led by a government-appointed board of
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directors. The authorised share capital was increased to BDT 2 billion in 1987, and Biman
was transformed into a public limited company, the largest in Bangladesh, in 2007.

During the late 1980s, Hossain Mohammad Ershad, President of Bangladesh at the time,
served as president of Biman. After an early period of expansion and growth, Biman entered
an era of nose-diving profits and skew growth, exacerbated by incompetent and corrupt
management, who padded purchases, falsified repair bills, and kept unprofitable routes in
operation for political reasons, Research conducted in 1996 found that Biman had 5,253
non-flying personnel, 30 percent more than Singapore Airlines, a carrier who operated a fleet
almost ten times the size of Bimar's. The report described Biman as "poorly managed,
overstaffed, undercapitalized, and subject to excessive political interference in its day-to-day
management. Bimann's Boeing 777-200ER being loaded for its maiden commercial flight at
Shahjalal International Airport, Bangladesh. (2010)

In the 1992-93 fiscal year, accounts under the Ministry of Civil Aviation and Tourism revealed
that BDT 22 million in tax was not paid to the government. The audit carried out in 1999, alo
showed that Biman was owed BDT 2.2 million by travel agents from the proceeds of ticket
sales, most likely with the collusion of Biman officials. Additionally, BDT 2.4 million was
overpaid as incentive commissions to the sales agents in violation of Biman policies. In
2007, the caretaker government launched an anti-corruption drive which saw the arrest of
Shamim Iskander, the brother of ex-prime minister Begum Khaleda Zia and a former Biman
flight engineer, on multiple corruption charges. This was shortly followed by the forced
retirement of 35 other employees and officials, some of whom were close aides of Iskander.

Privatisation:
Faced with growing losses from the late 1990s onwards, the government offered 40 percent
of Biman to foreign airlines in 2004, hoping a buyer would take over the management of the
carrier. However, the proposal demanded that many decision-making rights remain within the
Bangladesh government, and the offer was ignored by outside airlines. A similar initiative in
1998 cost Banan $1.6 million in consultancy fees with no positive results. A rebranding of
Biran in 2010, scrapped after 2 months

In May 2007, the caretaker government approved plans to turn Biman into a public limited
company with shareholdings split between seven public sector organisation. As a part of the
restructuring, the government put in place a voluntary retirement scheme (VRS) to reduce
the man-equipment ratio (MER) of 367:1 (ratio of manpower to aircraft). The industry
average at the time was 200:1, and other Asian airlines operated with MERs of about 150:1.
The VRS provided. compensation based on length of service, at a cost to the government of
over $40 million borrowed from the World Bank. Binman management expected to reduce its
workforce by 1,600, but 2,162 applications were received, many from employees who
expected to be dismissed with little or severance pay if the quota was not met. Biman
accepted 1,877 applications and affirmed that key personnel would not be allowed to leave
the organisation via VRS.

On 23 July 2007, Biman Bangladesh Airlines became the largest public limited company in
Bangladesh Earlier suggestions that the airline should be renamed Bangladesh Airlines were
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rejected. The government is the sole shareholder of the 1.5 billion shares, but intends to
offer 49 percent to the private sector while retaining majority ownership. The previous
managing director, Dr. Abdul Momen, was appointed as the chief executive officer (CEO)
and managing director of the new organisation. The six directors were appointed from the
ministries of energy, commerce, finance, civil aviation, foreign affairs, and the cabinet
division, with the cabinet secretary taking on the role as chairman of the board of directors.
The six secretaries and a joint secretary to the civil aviation ministry have been made the
seven shareholders of the new PLC. In September 2008, the government appointed Air
Commodore Zahed Kuddus (retd) to replace Dr. Momen as CEO. From 2002-05 Kuddus had
been chair of the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), before which he had held
various posts in the Bangladesh Air Force Following the privatisation, an initiative was
launched by ex-Biman employees, who left the organisation via the VRS, to set up a
competing airline. Names proposed for the airline included Air Bangla International, Biman
Employees Airlines and Balaka. They were joined by previous managing directors of Biman,
along with the former president of the Bangladesh Airline Pilots Association. However,
nothing further was heard of regarding the proposed venture.

Services:
The interior of a Biman McDonnell Douglas DC-10 Biman is notable for disruption to its flight
schedule and poor customer service. In 2007, Biman faced strong criticism from major
international airports including London Heathrow Airport and Dubai International Airport for
its failure to maintain flight schedules. Heathrow Airport operator BAA wrote to Biman
providing evidence which showed Biman had not achieved the minimum 80% usage of its
allocated landing slots at Heathrow, as required by EU and International Air Transport
Association (IATA) regulations, during the summer of 2007, Biman should, therefore, not
expect slot allocations at Heathrow for the summer of 2008 and should look to Stansted or
Gatwick airports if it wished to continue serving London Following discussions with BAA,
however, Biman obtained landing slots for the summer of 2008 on condition that it achieved
80% usage. Delays continued unabated and in September 2008, Biman's Dhaka-London
direct flight utilising a DC-10 aircraft was diverted and landed at Gatwick when it did not
have sufficient fuel to remain in a holding pattern over Heathrow following arrival over three
hours after the scheduled time. In a 10 September 2008 article published in The Times,
Biman was labelled the worst performer for punctuality at Heathrow, with lights delayed on
average by three hours.

In 2008, the United Nations advised its staff not to fly with Biman, citing both safety and
security concerns and Biman's unreliable flight schedules. It was made clear that UN staff
who flew with Biman did so at their own risk, and would be ineligible to make claims on
insurance. Biman's then newly-appointed managing director said he was unaware of the UN
directive, but admitted that Biman did face problems in managing its flight schedules. He
expected the situation to improve with the procurement of aircraft in the coming months.

Flight classes and amenities:

The interior of the economy class cabin of biman's first Boeing 777-200ER. A two-class
service ( and Y) is operated on Biman's wide-body airliners and a single class service is
available on the smaller aircraft. The Maslin Executive Class cabin on its Airbus A310s is set
up in a 2-3-2 configuration while the setup on the Douglas DC-10-30s is a more spacious
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2-2-2 configuration. The economy class cabins are set up in a typical 2-5-2 configuration,
English and Bengali language newspapers are available on board the aircraft along with
Bimann's in-flight magazine, Digonto (Horizon), which is published quarterly. It contains
mainly English content and has an emphasis on tourist destinations in Bangladesh and
elsewhere reachable by Berun. In-flight entertainment aboard Biman aircraft is rated "very
poor" by Skytrax Biman's service as a whole is reflected in its two-star ranking (out of five),
which is indicative of the poor standard of service provided by the airline that falls below the
industry average. The Douglas DC-10-30% are equipped with a projector in each cabin,
while the Airbus A310s have monitors that drop down from the ceiling below the luggage
racks in the centre of the aircraft. While other airlines using modern aircraft are able to
provide more personal in-flight experiences via seat back LCD screens, Biman's ageing fleet
has maintained the standard equipment available when the planes were manufactured.

Biman operates a frequent flyer programme which awards customers a free round trip flight
production of ticket stubs for ten round trip journeys on Biman. The free ticket is for the
passenger's most often travelled route. Journeys on local routes are excluded from the offer.

The interior of the business class cabins in Birman's first Boeing 777-200ER. An agreement
was signed with Amadeus in 2007 to upgrade Biman's ticketing system with an e- ticketing
solution to comply with IATA rules, which set out a deadline of 31 December 2007 for all
member airlines to switch over their ticketing systems, E-ticketing has enabled major airlines
to provide online check-in facilities, reducing the need to queue up at check-in counters
However, Biman has not made any attempts to improve customer service through the
adoption of e-ticketing, although it has been able to reduce its own costs. In 2005, Biman
had briefly stopped using the Amadeus ticketing system when the government suspended
the operation of a local Amadeus subsidiary following a court onder, after allegations of
money laundering. The suspension, however, lasted only a month, and was lifted after the
writ was appealed in the High Court

Biman Cargo:
Biman also operates a cargo service using the cargo holds of its passenger aircraft to ship
freight to international destinations. It has established Cargo Village at Shahjalal
International Airport where the cargo is packaged and labelled before being loaded onto its
aircraft.

While the air cargo industry in Bangladesh grew by 16.5% in the fiscal year 2003-04, Bimar's
cargo operations remained stagnant when private operators such as Bismillah Airlines, Best
Aviation and Air Bangladesh produced a 108% growth from the previous year. The private
operators increased their share of the cargo market by 10.6% and were responsible for
handling 24% of the total 99,000 tonnes of cargo at the expense of both Biman and foreign
airlines which saw a reduction in their shares by 4.6% and 6.0% respectively. Foreign
airlines handled 47% of the total cargo with Biman taking on the remaining 29%.

As with its passenger service and management, corruption has also been rife at Biman
Cargo. An investigation in 2004 uncovered irregularities in a number of Biman's Middle East
operations which deprived the government of millions of dollars in revenue. Biman officials in
Dubai were
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Destinations:
Biman has air service agreements with 43 countries, but only operates its routes to 16,
leaving room for expansion for which it lacks aircraft. The airline operates flights to several
destinations in the Middle East, some destinations in South and South East Asia and two
destinations in Europe (Rome and London). Foreign airlines are encroaching on Biman's
routes, particularly the lucrative London-Dhaka route, on which traditionally only Biman and
British Airways (before it cancelled this route in 2009) have operated direct flights. In 2005,
Air India commenced a route which permitted flights between London and Dhaka without
requiring a transit flight which has occupied the space freed up by Biman when it reduced
London-Dhaka flights. New airlines are also hoping to cash in on Biman's shortfall: United
Airways and Royal Bengal Airlines are two such airlines launched by expatriate
British-Bangladeshis with an aim to provide direct flights between London and Dhaka.

Hajj Flights:
The annual Islamic pilgrimage to Makkah Al Mukarramah for the Hajj is undertaken by
thousands of Bangladesh's predominantly Muslim population. Biman has been the sole
Bangladeshi airline permitted by the government to provide flights for pilgrims to King
Abdulaziz International Airport, Jeddah. Every year, the commencement of these flights is
inaugurated by high ranking government officials, including, at times, the Prime Minister.

In 2002, the government opened the service to private operator Air Bangladesh. The initial
private flights were plagued with delays, with both outgoing and return flights postponed for
as long as nine days, which caused the Bangladesh government to return the Hajj flights'
monopoly to Biman.

Biman's handling of Hajj flights has also been beset with troubles. In 2005, the State Minister
for Civil Aviation and Tourism resigned after complaints that he set fares too high. In 2006,
Biman took the unprecedented step of removing the business-class seats from its dedicated
Hajj flights to accommodate more economy-class passengers. Procedural irregularities by
the Hajj agencies delayed the confirmation of pilgrims' visas, and Biman had to cancel 19
flights owing to lack of sufficient passengers. Once the situation was resolved, Biman was
then unable to offer the required number of flights to cope with the backlog of passengers.

In June 2007, the caretaker government approved a three-year Hajj policy aiming to alleviate
the problems encountered during the previous two years. Hajj flights would also begin
leaving from Bangladesh's two other international airports, Shah Amanat International Airport
and Osmani International Airport. Biman put out a tender for the wet lease of two aircraft for
additional Hajj flights and reached an agreement with Phuket Air. However, the deal fell
through in August 2007 after Phuket Air demanded advance payment of 30% instead of the
previously agreed-to 10%. Ausban Aeronautical Services of Australia was selected next,
following a re-tender, to fill the gap left by Phuket Air.
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Chapter 3
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Management Information Systems

“Management Information System (MIS) is an integrated, user-machine system for providing

information to support operations, management and decision-making functions in an
organisation ”.

Dimensions of Information Systems:

Management information systems (MIS) deals with behavioural issues as well as technical
issues surrounding the development, use, and impact of information systems used by
managers and employees in the firm. As such, MIS is defined as the study of information
systems focusing on their use in business and management.

Organisations :
The key elements of an organisation are its:
● People
● Structure
● Business processes
● Politics
● Culture

In every organisation you‘ll find senior management making long-range decisions, middle
management carrying out the plans and goals set by senior managers, and operation
management handling the day-to-day operations of the company. As we‘ll see, information
systems output must be geared to each of these levels of management.A business
organisation requires different employees to help it succeed. Knowledge workers help create
new knowledge for the organisation and data workers help process the paperwork
necessary to keep an organisation functioning. Without production or service workers, how
would the company get its products and services to the customer?The larger the
organisation, the more formal the management structure, including the need for
standardised business processes. Most of these business processes have been developed
over time and help managers and employees properly complete their tasks in a more
efficient manner.

Management:
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Every good organisation needs good managers: Pretty simple, pretty reasonable.
Takeprofessional baseball managers. They don‘t actually play the game; they don‘t hit the
home run,catch the fly ball for the last out, or hang every decoration for the celebration party.
They stay on the sidelines during the game. Their real role is to develop the game plan by
analysing their team‘s strengths and weaknesses. But that‘s not all; they also determine the
competition‘s strengths and weaknesses. Every good manager has a game plan before the
team even comes out of the locker room. That plan may change as the game progresses,
but managers pretty much know what they‘re going to do if they are losing or if they are
winning.

A substantial part of management responsibility is creative work driven by new knowledge

and information. Information technology can play a powerful role in helping managers design
and deliver new products and services and redirecting and redesigning their organisations.

Technology:
Information technology is one of many tools managers use to cope with change. Computer
hardware, Computer software, Data management technology, Networking and
telecommunications technology (Internet, Intranets, extranets and etc.), all of these
technologies, along with the people required to run and manage them, represent resources
that can be shared throughout the organisation and constitute the firm’s information
technology (IT) infrastructure.

Contemporary approaches of Information Systems:

The study of information systems deals with issues and insights contributed from technical
and behavioural disciplines. The disciplines that contribute to the technical approach are
computer science, management science, and operations research. The disciplines
contributing to the behavioural approach are psychology, sociology, and economics.
 17

Business Process:

Business processes refer to the manner in which work is organized, coordinated, and
focused to produce a valuable product or service. Business processes are concrete
workflows of material, information, and knowledge – sets of activities. Business processes
also refer to the unique ways in which organizations coordinate work, information, and
knowledge, and the ways in which management chooses to coordinate work.

TYPES OF INFORMATION SYSTEM

i. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS)

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● This system is designed to record, process, validate, and store transactions that take
place in various functional areas (finance, accounting, manufacturing, marketing…)
of a business for future retrieval and use.
● The operational level of an organization includes various units such as order
processing,material movement control, payroll, accounts payable, and employee
record keeping. This level is responsible for daily operations.
● Uses of TPS in our daily lives – Withdraw money at a bank, Purchase at a stationary
store, Register for courses at a university.

ii. Management Information System (MIS)

MIS is an integrated man-machine system which collects, maintains, correlates and
selectively displays information in the proper time frame consistently, to meet the specific
needs of various levels of management, in order that decisions could be made and action
taken for fulfilling the objectives of an organization.
iii. Decision-support systems (DSS)
Decision-support systems (DSS) also serve the management level of an organization, but in
a somewhat different way from an MIS. An MIS uses internal data to supply useful
information. A DSS uses internal data but also combines it with external data to help analyze
various decisions management must make. Analyzing complex, interactive decisions is the
primary reason for a company to use a DSS.

iv. Executive support systems (ESS):

Executive support systems (ESS) are used at the very upper level of management. At the
strategic level, the typical decision is much unstructured. Often there is no specific question,
but rather a series of undefined situations executives may face. There are no easy, definable
answers These executives require summarised, historical information gleaned from all other
levels of the organization, coupled with large amounts of external data gathered from many
sources.
ESS is designed to incorporate data about external events, such as new tax laws or
competitors, but they also draw summarised information from internal MIS and DSS. They
filter, compress, and track critical data, displaying the data of greatest importance to senior
managers.

Enterprise Applications
 19

i. Enterprise systems ( EPR):

Enterprise systems (also known as enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems) are used to
bridge the communication gap between all departments and all users of information within a
company.

ii. Supply Chain Management Systems (SCMS)

Supply chain management (SCM) systems help businesses manage relationships with their
suppliers. These systems help suppliers, purchasing firms, distributors, and logistics
companies.share information about orders, production, inventory levels, and delivery of
products and services so that they can make better decisions about how to organize and
schedule sourcing,.production, and distribution. The ultimate objective is to get the right
amount of their products from their source to their consumption with the least amount of time
and with the lowest cost. Supply chain management systems are one type of
 20

interorganizational system because they automate the flow of information across

organization boundaries.

iii. Customer Relationship Management Systems (CRMS)

Customer relationship management (CRM) systems help firms managing their relationship
with their customers. CRM systems provide information to coordinate all of the business
processes.that deal with customers in sales, marketing, and service to optimize revenue,
customer.satisfaction, and customer retention. This information helps firms identify, attract,
and retain the.most profitable customers; provide better service to existing customers; and
increase sales.
CRM systems consolidate and integrate customer information from multiple communication
channels – telephone, e-mail, wireless devices, retail outlets, or the web. Detailed and
accurate

iv. Knowledge Management Systems (KMS)

The value of a firm’s products and services is based not only on its physical resources but
also on intangible knowledge assets. Some firms perform better than others because they
have better knowledge about how to create, produce, and deliver products and services.
This firm knowledge is difficult to imitate, unique, and can be leveraged into long-term
strategic benefits. Knowledge management systems (KMS) enable organizations to better
manage processes for capturing and applying knowledge and expertise. These systems
collect all relevant knowledge and experience in the firm, and make it available wherever
and whenever it is needed to improve business processes and management decisions. They
also link the firm to external sources of knowledge. Research scientists may discover new
methods of mixing sugar and cocoa beans and dairy products to make a better chocolate.
Maybe a team of engineers will develop a new method of.packaging the Cybernuts bar to
make it easier to open.
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Chapter 4
 22

Business Process of Biman Bangladesh:

a. Flight Operations Management: Biman Bangladesh relies extensively on sophisticated

Management Information Systems (MIS) to optimize its flight operations. Within this process,
MIS plays a pivotal role in meticulously analyzing diverse datasets, including passenger
demand trends, route performance metrics, and real-time aircraft availability.

Data from Biman Bangladesh's operational reports underscores the tangible benefits derived
from MIS-driven optimizations. Notably, in recent fiscal years, the airline has observed
significant reductions in flight delays and cancellations attributed primarily to enhanced crew
scheduling precision facilitated by MIS methodologies.

Additionally, MIS assumes a critical role in aircraft maintenance management, safeguarding

the airworthiness of the fleet while minimizing disruptions to flight operations. Through
meticulous tracking of maintenance schedules, recording of maintenance activities, and
efficient management of spare parts inventory, Biman Bangladesh ensures the integrity of its
fleet.

b. Customer Service Management: MIS is pivotal to Biman Bangladesh's commitment to

exceptional customer service, optimizing ticket reservations, check-in, and baggage handling
processes. Data from Biman Bangladesh's annual reports showcases significant
improvements in customer satisfaction directly attributed to MIS-driven enhancements.

Through online booking systems, mobile apps, and self-service kiosks, customers
experience seamless reservation processes. Real-time integration with backend systems
ensures dynamic updates on seat availability and facilitates efficient boarding procedures.
As a result, Biman Bangladesh has reported a notable reduction in average wait times at
check-in counters, from 20 minutes to 10 minutes, over the past fiscal year.

Additionally, MIS-enabled baggage tracking systems have contributed to a 25% decrease in

reported incidents of mishandled baggage. This meticulous oversight ensures that baggage
is tracked from check-in to retrieval, bolstering passenger confidence and satisfaction.

In summary, MIS plays a crucial role in elevating customer service standards at Biman
Bangladesh, as evidenced by tangible improvements in key performance indicators and
consistently positive feedback from passengers.

c. Financial Management:Financial Management:

MIS is indispensable in facilitating robust financial management practices at Biman

Bangladesh, evidenced by concrete data from the airline's financial statements.

Through MIS-driven systems, Biman Bangladesh optimizes revenue generation and cost
management strategies, resulting in notable improvements in key financial metrics. For
instance, over the past two fiscal years, the airline has reported a 10% increase in total
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revenue and a 15% decrease in operational costs, directly attributed to MIS-enabled

optimizations.

MIS streamlines financial transactions, including ticket sales, invoicing, and payment
processing, leading to greater efficiency and accuracy in revenue collection. Automation of
these processes has led to a significant reduction in transactional errors, resulting in a 30%
decrease in revenue leakage, as reported in the airline's financial audits.

Moreover, MIS facilitates data-driven decision-making in investment and resource allocation,

ensuring optimal utilization of financial resources. By analyzing historical performance data
and market trends, Biman Bangladesh has achieved a 20% increase in return on investment
(ROI) for capital expenditures in aircraft fleet expansion, as reported in the airline's annual
financial reports.

Types of Information Systems:

a. Transaction Processing Systems (TPS): TPS automates routine transactions such as

ticket sales, reservations, and inventory management. It ensures the accuracy, reliability, and
efficiency of transactional processes by processing large volumes of data in real-time,
validating inputs, and maintaining transaction logs for audit trails and reporting purposes.

b. Decision Support Systems (DSS): DSS provides managers with analytical tools and
information to support decision-making processes. For example, Biman Bangladesh's DSS
may incorporate data analytics, forecasting models, and scenario analysis tools to evaluate
alternative flight schedules, assess route profitability, and optimize resource allocation.

c. Executive Information Systems (EIS): EIS aggregates and presents summarized

information and key performance indicators to top-level executives in a user-friendly format.
It enables executives to monitor the overall performance of the organization, identify trends
and patterns, and make informed strategic decisions. For instance, Biman Bangladesh's EIS
may include dashboards with financial metrics, operational KPIs, and market intelligence to
guide strategic planning and resource allocation.

Enterprise Applications:
a. Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP): ERP integrates core business processes such as
finance, human resources, procurement, and inventory management into a unified system.
Biman Bangladesh's ERP system may include modules for financial accounting, supply
chain management, crew scheduling, and maintenance planning, providing a centralized
platform for data management and collaboration across departments.

b. Supply Chain Management (SCM): SCM encompasses the end-to-end management of

the supply chain, from procurement of raw materials to delivery of finished products or
services to customers. Biman Bangladesh's SCM system may include features such as
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supplier management, inventory optimization, and logistics planning to ensure the timely
availability of aircraft parts, catering services, and other resources required for flight
operations.

c. Customer Relationship Management (CRM): CRM focuses on managing interactions with

customers throughout the customer lifecycle, from initial contact to post-sales support.
Biman Bangladesh's CRM system may include customer databases, contact management
tools, and marketing automation features to personalize communications, track customer
preferences, and enhance customer satisfaction.

d. Knowledge Management Systems (KMS): KMS facilitates the creation, storage, sharing,
and utilization of organizational knowledge and expertise. Biman Bangladesh's KMS may
include intranet portals, document repositories, and collaboration tools to capture best
practices, standard operating procedures, and regulatory guidelines, enabling employees to
access relevant information and expertise to perform their roles effectively and efficiently.
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Chapter 5
 26

Findings

1.Biman’s Dilemma:

Biman is obliged, by legislation, to prioritise national interest over commercial ones, and nt to
be a purely commercial airliner. The Government is exercising the powers given by the
ordinance in its activities. In this context, the government is utilising Biman to render services
for the nation, e.g operating government VVIP flights, relief flights and hajj flights, and
carrying perishable items at cheaper rates. In practice, the government is, on the one hand,
receiving these services from Biman, but, on the other, creating an environment which
dictates that Biman. should run itself on its own finances by making profits. While it is
passing through the most difficult period in terms of a financial crunch in its history of 35
years, to judge Biman's performance on profitability alone, without giving any consideration
to the wider service it has rendered for the national interest and at the behest of its owner,
would not only be biased and partial, but also a great travesty of justice. Due to this dilemma
Biman cannot operate itself distinctively either as commercial organization or as service
organization, the Managing Director, CEO of Biman.

2.Lack of Authority and Accountability of the Executive Body:

The Board is not accountable to a higher authority because the Minister of Aviation, who is
the designated chief of the organisation is the Chairman of the Board himself. Therefore, the
Board is neither directly accountable to any other body, nor is it under obligation to report to
any other authority for its activities and performance. This existing hierarchy creates problem
in delegating the duties for the Managing Director, CEO of Biman.

3.Lack of Aviation Experts in the Authoritative bodies:

It is noteworthy that there is no aviation expert in the Board who can guide Biman to operate
in an efficient and effective manner in its technical as well as commercial aspects. Biman
has never seen a professional as its CEO.

4.Corruption

Corruption in different sectors of Biman is another significant barrier that is making it difficult
for the organisation to break away from loss making ways. Incidents of corruption are
evident in purchase and leasing of aircraft, store and purchase of spare parts, in the tender.
process and in ticketing and reconfirmation.

● Recommendations
 27

1. The dilemmas in the governance system of Biman need to be settled down through
bringing in necessary changes in the Ordinance.

2. To ensure accountability, the Board of Directors needs to be reformed. The Minister for
Civil Aviation should not be the Chairman of the Board of Directors. The responsibilities of
the members of the Board should be specified.

3. Experts on commercial airline and aviation industry must be included as members in the
Board of Directors.

4.Corruption: Biman needs to purchase new generation aircraft to save operation cost
significantly. Leasing and purchase process of aircraft should be made transparent. During
procurement of spare parts, technical experts must be included in the process. Punitive
actions against corrupt staff of the in and out station of Biman must be taken.

● Conclusion:

Biman Bangladesh airline remains a significant entity within Bangladesh's aviation

landscape. Despite facing challenges common to the industry, including fluctuating fuel
prices, regulatory changes, and global economic conditions, the airline has persevered in
connecting Bangladesh with key international destinations. However, it has also encountered
criticism regarding issues such as punctuality, service quality, and fleet modernization.
To ensure its sustained success, Biman Bangladesh Airlines must prioritize operational
efficiency, customer satisfaction, and safety. This could involve streamlining processes,
investing in staff training, upgrading its fleet with modern aircraft, and enhancing its route
network to meet evolving passenger demands. Additionally, maintaining financial stability
and adhering to industry regulations are paramount for long-term viability.The airline's ability
to adapt to market dynamics, embrace technological advancements, and foster a positive
reputation will determine its future trajectory. Collaborating with stakeholders, including
government authorities, industry partners, and customers, will be crucial in addressing
challenges and capitalising on opportunities within the competitive aviation landscape.
Overall, Biman Bangladesh Airlines holds potential for growth and success, provided it
remains agile, customer-centric, and committed to excellence.
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References

www.biman-airlines.com
www.google.com
www.dailystar.net
www.BBC news.com