CAAB warns of stern action after Biman bomb hoax triggers security alarm

The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) today (12 July) warned of stern legal action against anyone disrupting air operations following a hoax bomb threat forced a Biman's Kathmandu-bound flight to halt on Friday, triggering heightened security at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA).

"We have taken serious measures to prevent any recurrence of such incidents. Legal action has already been taken regarding yesterday's incident, and we are determined to enforce the law in the future if such incidents occur," HSIA Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad told BSS. 

He emphasised that the safety of passengers and the integrity of air operations remain the highest priority and that any attempt to disrupt these will face the full force of the law.

Under the Civil Aviation Ordinance, any person who intentionally or recklessly endangers aircraft operations and puts lives at risk is liable to severe punishment, including the death penalty or life imprisonment, along with fines of up to Taka five crore.

The warning followed Friday's incident when an anonymous call to Air Traffic Control falsely claimed that a bomb was onboard Biman flight BG-373, which was taxiing for departure to Kathmandu with 142 passengers and seven crew members.

Biman's Kathmandu flight takes off after 5-hour delay as bomb threat creates panic at Dhaka airport

Acting on CAAB directives, the Air Force's task force and AVSEC swiftly established a security perimeter around the aircraft, with the Air Force bomb disposal unit, APBn's dog squad, and RAB's bomb disposal team conducting thorough inspections of the aircraft and luggage.

All passengers were safely evacuated, screened, and moved to the lounge while other flight operations at HSIA continued normally.

Security screening was completed at 7:58pm, with no explosives or suspicious items found, and the aircraft departed safely for Kathmandu at 9:22pm.

At a press briefing today, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman confirmed that three individuals, including the caller, had been arrested in connection with the hoax.

Investigations revealed that the call was made by the mother of a passenger travelling with his extramarital partner in an attempt to prevent him from leaving for Kathmandu.

Mother faked bomb threat on Biman flight to stop married son from flying with girlfriend: RAB

The RAB chief described the incident as "regrettable" and cautioned that such acts damage the country's image and the reputation of the national airlines. 

"Such attempts must never be made under any circumstances, and strict punitive measures will be taken against those responsible," he said.