Pros:- The entertainment/distraction module was modern and functioning. Its UI (User Interface) was excellent. There was even a USB port, great for looking at images. The movies available were up-to-date. - The aircraft, a Boeing 737-800, was fresh off the assembly line. It even had that new-airplane smell. None of the seats were busted. Yet.
Cons:- Mosquitoes infested the jet bridge and the plane. Never seen anything like it. While that was bad enough, the crew began spraying a toxic knock-down cocktail over our heads. The fellow sitting next to me, an Indian, said 'This would never happen in India. People would refuse to fly until the problem was resolved. In India we have standards.' I said 'That's all well and good, but we're not in India. We're in Bangladesh, and people have become inured to unpleasantness. Even me.' Now, my aim's not to pick on Biman. Perhaps the mosquito problem is Dhaka Airport's responsibility and they've clearly dropped the ball. But c'mon, spraying a poisonous mosquito killer INSIDE the cabin filled with passengers? Get real. - The hard and fast landing in Kolkata. Felt like we were hitting the runway too fast. There was a slight bounce. It took a while for the reverse thrusters and brakes to come on. Sure, I'm not a pilot, and to a pilot perhaps this landing was totally normal and within protocol. As a passenger though, I was a bit spooked. I thought 'Gee, I hope this is a looong runway.' Also, the pilot kept saying 'Inshallah.' Inshallah this, Inshallah that. Inshallah translates roughly to 'God willing.' Faith is a personal thing and to each their own. However, I want to have faith that this plane's going to land safely based on the pilot's skill, not on God's will. - The meal. More of a snack, really, and that's OK given the short flight. But the Wonder Bread mystery meat sandwich was disappointing and totally unnecessary. Biman should serve tasty Bangladeshi snacks (chanachur, jhal muri, phuchka, shingara, etc.) rather than poor attempts at Western food -- especially if Biman wants to be taken seriously as the pride of Bangladesh's skies. The dislikes far outweigh the likes this time round. We'll seriously contemplate flying Biman again.