Dhaka: US-Bangla Airlines has refuted claims from a media report alleging that a Nepali court has ordered the airline to compensate the families of victims from its 2018 crash in Kathmandu. 'We have received no such official order or court document,' stated Kamrul Islam, General Manager (PR) of US-Bangla Airlines, in a conversation with BSS.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the Kathmandu Post reported in its July 22 edition that a district court in Kathmandu had mandated the Dhaka-based carrier to pay USD 2.74 million (approximately Tk 33.5 crore) to the families of the victims from the March 12, 2018, crash. However, Kamrul Islam expressed skepticism about the authenticity of the verdict, noting that it remains unconfirmed whether any such ruling has been issued.
Islam further elaborated that the airline's legal team is actively reviewing the situation. Should any such verdict exist, it will undergo legal examination, and both the media and relevant authorities will be duly informed. In the interim, US-Bangla Airlines has urged all parties to refrain from circulating reports based on unverified information or lacking official court documents.
The unfortunate crash involved Flight BS211, a Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 aircraft, which crashed during landing at Tribhuvan International Airport in Kathmandu. Of the 71 passengers and crew on board, 51 perished, including 28 Bangladeshis, 22 Nepalis, and one Chinese national.