Glitch in PM's Flight: Police clear all 11 Biman staffers

Police yesterday submitted the final report in a case filed over the technical glitch in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's flight on November 27 last year.

This clears all 11 Biman Bangladesh Airlines staffers of any wrongdoing.

Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) Assistant Commissioner Mahbubul Alam, also the investigation officer of the case, submitted the report before the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's Court of Dhaka yesterday afternoon.

In the report, he said the charges brought against the 11 were not proved and they should be relieved.

The 11 Biman staffers are: SM Rokonuzzaman, Samiul Haque, Lutfor Rahman, Milon Chandra Biswas, Zakir Hossain and Siddiqur Rahman of Biman's engineering and technical department, Debesh Chowdhury, chief engineer (production), SA Siddique, chief engineer (quality assurance), Billal Hossain, principal engineer, Shah Alam, engineer (technician) and Najmul Haq, engineer (officer).

The VVIP flight carrying Hasina made an emergency landing on November 27 last year at Ashgabat International Airport in Turkmenistan after a loose nut caused engine oil leakage, and oil pressure loss in engine no-1 of the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft.

On December 21, Wing Commander (retd) MM Asaduzzaman, director of engineering and material management of Biman, filed the case against nine employees under the Special Powers Act with Airport Police Station. Two more Biman officials were arrested later.