Civil aviation ministry to probe VVIP flight security clearance issue

State minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism M Mahbub Ali today said that a probe will be launched to find out how three cabin crews and head of security of Biman got permission to get on board the November 16 VVIP flight without any security clearance.

The minister made the remarks while talking to the reporters after the inauguration of the newest private airlines, Air Astra at the Dhaka airport.

Maj Taiz Ibne Anwar, head of security of Biman and three cabin crews of the national flag carrier were not given clearance to operate the VVIP flight of President M Abdul Hamid on security grounds.

The VVIP flight, BG202 is scheduled to carry M Abdul Hamid and members of his entourage from London to Dhaka today, sources in Biman said.

Thirteen cabin crew and Maj Taiz Ibne Anwar, also deputy general manager, security, Biman Bangladesh Airlines went to London by a flight of the national airliner on November 13, BG 201, to serve the VVIP flight.

But three cabin crews and Maj Taj were not given clearance to operate the flight on security grounds.

The three cabin crew are Sufia Akhter Shupti (flight purser), Apon Kumar Singha Sinha (flight steward), and Mariyan Fatema Sheheli (flight stewardess).

President M Abdul Hamid left Dhaka on October 29 on a 16-day visit to Germany and the UK for a health check-up.

President Hamid was scheduled to undergo a health checkup in a hospital in Germany and an eye hospital in London.

The 78-year-old president has long been suffering from glaucoma, a group of eye conditions that damage the optic nerve.

Meanwhile, the state minister yesterday also said, an investigation is ongoing regarding the question leak of the recruitment examination of Biman.

"Stern actions will be taken against those who will be found involved in leaking the question papers of different recruitment tests of Biman," he also said.