Biman flight hijack: Authorities tight-lipped, waiting for probe report
State minister of civil aviation says they are not yet sure whether the hijacker was carrying a toy gun
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) and Civil Aviation and Tourism Ministry still do not know whether Md Palash Ahmed, alias Mahadi, was carrying an actual firearm or a toy gun when he managed to hijack a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft on Sunday.
The authorities are still yet to figure out how Palash, a listed criminal in Rapid Action Battalion’s (RAB) database, managed to board the Dubai-bound plane with the said gun after getting past several layers of security at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka.
State Minister for Civil Aviation, Md Mahbub Ali, and CAAB Chairman, Air Vice Marshal M Naim Hassan, both said on Monday, that they were waiting for the investigation report which would be submitted after five days and clear all confusion.
On Sunday evening, Palash managed to hijack Biman’s Flight BG-147 midair after it took off from Dhaka and forced the pilot to land at Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong.
He did not harm any passengers or crew members, but had demanded to talk to the prime minister and his wife. However, Palash was killed in a confrontation with security forces during their raid.
On Monday morning, RAB Legal and Media Wing Director, Mufti Mahmud Khan, confirmed that a fingerprint search of the suspected hijacker in their criminal database matched with Palash, of Narayanganj’s Sonargaon area.
At a press briefing later in the day at Dhaka airport, State Minister Mahbub Ali said they were still trying to get the full picture. “We have already formed a probe committee and they are working on it. They will submit their report within five days.”
“But we did not find any flaws in the airport security (in Dhaka). There is no security error or leakage in the airport security system which will allow any passenger to board a plane like this,” he claimed.
Responding to a question, the state minister said there was no error in coordination among the agencies responsible for security at Dhaka airport.
He also added that the aircraft was supposed to land in Chittagong on its way to Dubai. “It did not make an emergency landing.”
Gun: Real or Toy?
Asked how Palash boarded the plane with the gun, Civil Aviation Ministry’s Secretary Mohibul Haque said: “We are not sure yet whether it was a real weapon... It could also be a toy pistol.
“We will be able to share the details after receiving the investigation report.”
On Sunday night, both state minister Mahbub on a talk show, and Chittagong Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mahbubur Rahman while talking to reporters, had said that the plane hijacker was carrying a toy gun.
Mohibul said CCTV camera footage showed that Palash was searched like other passengers at the airport before he boarded the plane.
“The bag he was carrying also went through the scanner, but there was nothing on him or inside the bag,” he said.
CAAB Chairman Naim Hassan also stressed that they would not be able to say whether the gun was real or fake before the investigation ended.
He said that they did not find any evidence of shots fired by Palash in the plane, even though a passenger on Sunday told reporters that the hijacker had fired several shots.
“Toy guns also make similar sounds. The passengers may have heard that,” he said.
However, none of the officials could say how the gun-like item made it inside the plane with Palash.
Naim added that many theories have been swirling since the hijacking took place. “We will get the full picture once the probe ends.”
