Biman plane hijack attempt foiled in Ctg

Lone attacker killed in army commando raid

An army commando operation successfully thwarted an attempt to hijack a Dubai-bound Biman Bangladesh Airlines plane from Dhaka after it made an emergency landing in Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport yesterday evening. The lone attacker, an youth aged 25-26 who identified himself as Mahadi, was killed in an exchange of fire during the commando operation, said Chattogram Area Commander and Army 24th Infantry Division GOC Major General SM Matiur Rahman while briefing the media after the operation at around 8:45pm yesterday.

No passenger, crew or member of the commando team were injured in the operation spearheaded by the 1-Paracommando Battalion of Bangladesh Army and the aircraft was not damaged

as the operation was carried out successfully with meticulous precision, he said. Lt Colonel Imrul led the operation, he added.

During negotiation, the alleged hijacker wished to talk to the prime minister and his wife. However, he became aggressive when asked to surrender the pistol in his possession and engaged in a firefight, the GOC said.

Flight operations at the airport resumed at 9:00pm after remaining suspended for four hours.

Earlier, the flight BG-147, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, took off from Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at around 3:20pm for Dubai with 142 passengers, five cabin crews and two cockpit crews. But the flight made an emergency landing at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport at around 5:40pm after reportedly an armed man tried to take control of the aircraft soon after the plane took off.

Members of law enforcing agencies and the armed forces cordoned off the airport after the emergency landing of the flight BG-147. All the passengers were safely taken off the aircraft first. Sources said the captain, two crew members and the alleged hijacker remained onboard and then the commandos moved in to neutralise the hijacker. “The law enforcement agencies confronted the armed hijacker after evacuating all the passengers safely, before and commando operation,” said Air vice Marshal Mofidur Rahman, in-charge of the operation, while briefing to the reporters at around 7:50pm yesterday.

However, why the attacker tried to hijack the plane could not be ascertained, Mofidur Rahman added. Main Uddin khan Badal, lawmaker from Chattogram-8, who was on the flight told reporters that an armed hijacker tried to pursue the pilot  to take the flight to some other direction. “He shot at  the pilot. However, the pilot was unharmed and tactfully landed the flight in Chittagong. After landing the law enforcement agencies cordoned off the flight,” he said. “The armed man said that he wanted to talk with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina,” added Badal.

Sources, said soon after the flight took off from Dhaka, two crew members noticed suspicious behavior by the youth as he tried to enter into the cockpits. After he was prevented, the pilot was informed of the situation and he landed in Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport.   

After its landing security forces cordoned off the Boeing 737-800 at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport. Then the authorities began the operation to rescue the passengers.   Being informed of the incident Fire Service and law enforcement agencies rushed to the spot.

Fire Service and Civil Defense Deputy Director of Agrabad in Chattogram said 10 fire vehicles were sent to the spot and remained on stand by to respond to any crisis situation.

Meanwhile, a three-member probe committee has been formed under the directives of the Civil Aviation Minister Mahbub Ali to investigate into aircraft hijacking issue. The committee is headed by Zanendra Nath Sarker, joint secretary of the ministry.

MK/MK

 

Biman plane hijack attempt foiled in Ctg

Lone attacker killed in army commando raid

An army commando operation successfully thwarted an attempt to hijack a Dubai-bound Biman Bangladesh Airlines plane from Dhaka after it made an emergency landing in Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport yesterday evening. The lone attacker, an youth aged 25-26 who identified himself as Mahadi, was killed in an exchange of fire during the commando operation, said Chattogram Area Commander and Army 24th Infantry Division GOC Major General SM Matiur Rahman while briefing the media after the operation at around 8:45pm yesterday. No passenger, crew or member of the commando team were injured in the operation spearheaded by the 1-Paracommando Battalion of Bangladesh Army and the aircraft was not damaged as the operation was carried out successfully with meticulous precision, he said. Lt Colonel Imrul led the operation, he added. During negotiation, the alleged hijacker wished to talk to the prime minister and his wife. However, he became aggressive when asked to surrender the pistol in his possession and engaged in a firefight, the GOC said. Flight operations at the airport resumed at 9:00pm after remaining suspended for four hours. Earlier, the flight BG-147, a Boeing 737-800 aircraft, took off from Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka at around 3:20pm for Dubai with 142 passengers, five cabin crews and two cockpit crews. But the flight made an emergency landing at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport at around 5:40pm after reportedly an armed man tried to take control of the aircraft soon after the plane took off. Members of law enforcing agencies and the armed forces cordoned off the airport after the emergency landing of the flight BG-147. All the passengers were safely taken off the aircraft first. Sources said the captain, two crew members and the alleged hijacker remained onboard and then the commandos moved in to neutralise the hijacker. The law enforcement agencies confronted the armed hijacker after evacuating all the passengers safely, before and commando operation, said Air vice Marshal Mofidur Rahman, in-charge of the operation, while briefing to the reporters at around 7:50pm yesterday. However, why the attacker tried to hijack the plane could not be ascertained, Mofidur Rahman added. Main Uddin khan Badal, lawmaker from Chattogram-8, who was on the flight told reporters that an armed hijacker tried to pursue the pilot to take the flight to some other direction. He shot at the pilot. However, the pilot was unharmed and tactfully landed the flight in Chittagong. After landing the law enforcement agencies cordoned off the flight, he said. The armed man said that he wanted to talk with the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, added Badal. Sources, said soon after the flight took off from Dhaka, two crew members noticed suspicious behavior by the youth as he tried to enter into the cockpits. After he was prevented, the pilot was informed of the situation and he landed in Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport. After its landing security forces cordoned off the Boeing 737-800 at Chattogram Shah Amanat International Airport. Then the authorities began the operation to rescue the passengers. Being informed of the incident Fire Service and law enforcement agencies rushed to the spot. Fire Service and Civil Defense Deputy Director of Agrabad in Chattogram said 10 fire vehicles were sent to the spot and remained on stand by to respond to any crisis situation. Meanwhile, a three-member probe committee has been formed under the directives of the Civil Aviation Minister Mahbub Ali to investigate into aircraft hijacking issue. The committee is headed by Zanendra Nath Sarker, joint secretary of the ministry. MK/MK