Biman hijack bid: State minister gives statement in JS

An armed passenger all of a sudden tried to hijack a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft bound for Dubai via Chattogram and he (suspect) shouted to intimidate the passengers, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry Mahbub Ali told parliament tonight.

The hijacker carrying arm also threatened to blow off the aircraft, the junior minister said this while giving a statement in the House under section 300 of the rules of procedure of parliament with Speaker Shirin Sharmin Chaudhury in the chair.

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He also said the captain of the aircraft applying his professionalism and bravery kept the terrorist busy while talking with him.

Earlier on Sunday at a television talk show, Mahbub said he came to know that the pistol possessed by the hijacker was a toy.

The state minister tonight informed lawmakers that a five-member investigation committee was formed to reveal the reason behind the hijack attempt of a Dubai-bound Bangladesh Biman aircraft before landing at the Chattogram airport on Sunday evening.

A Dhaka to Dubai via Chattogram bound aircraft BG-147 carrying 155 passengers and crew members on board left the Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in the capital at around 5:13pm, said the state minister.

As per the schedule the aircraft of the national airliner was on the way to land at the Hazrat Shah Amanat International Airport in Chattogram at around 5:42pm, but all of a sudden a “terrorist” who tried to hijack the plane shouted to intimidate the passengers, Mahbub said.

At one stage all the passengers and crews were safely disembarked from the flight.

During this time, a commando team of the Bangladesh Army and a smart contingent of Rapid Action Battalion entered the aircraft and neutralised the suspect.

At one stage, the hijacker got injured by bullet hit and later died.