A wheelchair helper of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines went from Dhaka to Chittagong illegally on a Biman flight on Thursday morning when he was helping a passenger in boarding.
The wheelchair helper, named Ataur, is now under the Biman security custody.
The incident has again created much concern and criticism about the safety standards and professionalism of flight operation and crews on domestic routes. Another person was arrested four days ago while crossing the green channel with arms and ammunition at the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).
The Chittagong-bound flight BG 411 was scheduled to depart at 7:40 am. There were nine business class passengers and 144 economy class passengers.
Besides, there were two pilots and five cabin crews on board of the Boeing 737. The name of its captain was Wazed, and that of chief purser was Sanjana.
An airport source said the passenger who took wheelchair facility did not have a leg. So, the helper took more time to settle him on his seat. But in the meantime, the cabin crews closed the aircraft door.
Sensing this, the helper shouted and ran to the door. But the cabin crews seized his phone to hide their mistake, the source added.
Experts said no wheelchair is allowed to enter an aircraft, and the crews are responsible to receive a passenger with the wheelchair inside the aircraft.
But the Biman crews, without following the rule, do not receive the passengers at the door and help them settle inside, they added.
The Biman authority, however, denied any such accidental travel by an unauthorised wheelchair helper, saying it was planned.
When contacted, the Biman managing director (MD) Mokabbir Hossain told the FE that the wheelchair helper was sent by the Biman personnel and with necessary permission to assist the disabled passenger on the wheelchair.
"The passenger using wheelchair did not have a leg, and the crews could not handle him. That's why the Biman authority took the decision of sending the helper to assist the passenger with permission from the control department."
The helper was neither unauthorised, nor it was any accident. Rather, it was planned, he added.
Regarding the reason of shouting from the helper's side to get down from the aircraft, Mr Mokabbir said he did not know that he was going with the passenger. He was afraid of losing his job, as he did not have any boarding pass.
When asked, former MD of the Biman Abdul Momen told the FE that if the incident is true, it does not match with the standard operating procedure (SOP).
Meanwhile, the Biman director (admin) Ziauddin Ahmed visited the HSIA, and its general manager of airport service Azizul Islam was summoned to Balaka office.
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