Dhaka airport scuffle: Caab says man tried to enter through exit gate

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) has said a man repeatedly attempted to enter Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport through a designated exit gate before a confrontation broke out between him and Ansar personnel, following a video of the incident that went viral on social media.

In a press release issued today (22 September), Caab said CCTV footage showed the incident took place outside the airport's Canopy-2 exit gate at around 12:52am yesterday (21 September).

According to the authority, the man had gone to the airport to receive an arriving passenger and attempted to enter through the exit gate.

An Ansar member on duty asked him not to enter and tried to stop him in line with airport security protocols and passenger movement rules, Caab said.

Despite repeated requests, the man continued attempting to enter, prompting another Ansar member to intervene. At one point, the man lost his balance and fell, according to the authority.

The situation escalated when other people accompanying the man approached the scene, leading to a heated exchange, pushing and a physical altercation between the group and Ansar personnel, Caab said.

Caab said a bystander recorded part of the confrontation on a mobile phone, and the footage later went viral on social media.

The authority said its review of CCTV footage from the area provided a broader picture of the incident, including events leading up to the confrontation that were not visible in the viral video.

Caab urged relatives and visitors to follow airport security protocols and use designated entry and exit points.

It also cautioned against spreading misleading information, rumours or speculation based on partial footage without verifying the full context.

Caab said it remained committed to ensuring passenger safety, security and orderly movement at the airport.