Security personnel positioned themselves beside a Kathmandu-bound flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines that was halted and searched at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital on Friday. — Focus Bangla A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight bound for Nepal's Kathmandu from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) in Dhaka was delayed on Friday after an unidentified person informed the Air Traffic Control (ATC) about the presence of a bomb on it.
Panic gripped the airport due to the bomb threat, although the authorities could not identify any issue following a thorough inspection of the aircraft.
Flight BG373, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft scheduled to depart for Kathmandu at 4:45pm, was moments away from takeoff when an unidentified person called the ATC and claimed there was a bomb on board, according to a press release issued by the HSIA authorities.
The call came from an anonymous number at 4:26pm on Friday when the aircraft was taxiing with 142 passengers and seven crew members on board.
Following the alert, the airport authorities immediately heightened security protocols and evacuated all the passengers and crew members who boarded the aircraft. Later, the aircraft was parked at Terminal 3 and a thorough inspection was carried out.
ABM Raoshan Kabir, general manager (public relations) of Biman, told The Financial Express no issue was identified following the inspection. After security clearance, the aircraft took off for Kathmandu at 9:22pm.
Squadron Leader Mahmudul Hasan Masum, spokesperson for the executive director of the airport, said as a precautionary measure, all passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft and escorted to the terminal lounge after screening.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) took the threat seriously and implemented emergency measures as directed by its chairman.
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