Biman hijack attempt: CAAB suspends 5 airport security staff

Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) has suspended five security personnel, who were on duty at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) during the security check of the alleged hijacker of a Biman flight on February 24.

“As per the video footage, the probe committee found negligence of these five persons on duty. As per the recommendations of the committee, CAAB has suspended them,” Civil Aviation Secretary Mohibul Haque told BSS today.

The secretary said the suspended personnel are security staffs and their supervisor who were responsible to perform baggage scan and search bodies at the HSIA’s domestic terminal on the day of the attempted hijack, reports BSS.

“Though the suspected hijacker didn’t carry any real pistol or explosives but the security personnel were supposed to detect pistol or explosives like elements,” he added.

Haque said the deadline for submitting the report of the probe committee, formed to investigate the incident, has been extended for seven more working days.

“As the probe committee members have to work both in Dhaka and Chattogram, they need to talk with many people, they need more time,” he said.

On February 25, Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry formed a five-member probe committee headed by the ministry’s Additional Secretary Md Mokabbir Hossain to investigate the incident.

The Dubai-bound Boeing 737-800 aircraft made an emergency landing at the Chattogram airport at 5:41pm on February 25 after a youth named Polash Ahmed allegedly attempted to hijack the plane.

He was killed later in an eight-minute operation by military para-commandos.