All accused relieved from PM’s flight glitch charges

A Dhaka court today cleared all 11 Biman Bangladesh Airlines staff from the charges over a technical glitch in Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's flight in 2016.

Judge Kamrul Hossain Mollah of the Metropolitan Sessions Judge's Court in Dhaka passed the order after Counter-Terrorism and Transnational Crime (CTTC) investigation officer submitted a final report clearing all the accused of the charges.

Police on December 7 last year submitted the final report in the case filed on November 27, 2016.This clears all the accused of any wrongdoing.

The CTTC Assistant Commissioner MahbubulAlam, also the investigation officer of the case, in the report, said the charges brought against the 11 were not proved and they should be relieved.

The 11 Biman staffers are: SM Rokonuzzaman, SamiulHaque, 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 NajmulHaq, engineer (officer).

The VVIP flight carrying Hasina made an emergency landing on November 27, 2016 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 last year, 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.