CAAB Chairman Air Vice Marshal Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan held a press conference this afternoon regarding the false threat of a bomb being placed at the airport. Photo: CAAB

DHAKA, Jan 22, 2025 (BSS) – The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) today commended the coordinated efforts of all security agencies in successfully managing the false bomb threat aboard a Biman Bangladesh Airlines aircraft at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA), adhering to international standard protocols.

“The seamless coordination among all agencies ensured swift and effective management of the situation. This unified response demonstrates our ability to tackle any future challenges successfully,” said CAAB chairman Air Vice Marshal Monjur Kabir Bhuiyan during a media briefing at HSIA this afternoon.

He expressed his gratitude to all agencies, including Aviation Security, the Air Force, APBn, RAB, Police, Fire Service, Health Services, and Ansar, for their effective coordination in handling the situation.

The chairman also praised the exceptional leadership of Group Captain Kamrul Islam, the airport’s Executive Director, who served as the on-scene commander, and Jahangir Hossain, the Director of Aviation Security, who played a significant role as the deputy on-scene commander.

Earlier this morning, a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Rome landed at HSIA following a bomb threat while all 250 passengers and 13 crew members on board were safely evacuated.

Subsequent searches of the aircraft found no explosives or suspicious items. “As per protocol, all baggage and items were checked. No dangerous material was found. At 12:30 PM local time, we called off the search,” Group Captain Kamrul Islam, HSIA’s Executive Director, told BSS earlier.

After completing immigration formalities, passengers were reunited with their baggage around 1:30 PM, Biman officials confirmed. 

The flight, which departed from Leonardo da Vinci Airport at  Rome at 8:00 PM local time on January 21, was cleared for further operations.

During the afternoon’s briefing, the CAAB chairman revealed that the threat originated from a message sent via a foreign WhatsApp number to the official WhatsApp of an Armed Police Battalion (APBn) duty officer at Dhaka Airport. 

The message claimed that 34 kilograms of explosives were aboard Biman flight BG-356 from Rome.

The sender, however, stated that the message was intended as a warning rather than a direct threat. Attempts to call the number went unanswered, although communication via WhatsApp continued, the chairman said.

The bomb threat prompted the airport authorities to implement all necessary precautionary measures for the emergency landing of the flight at 9:20 AM.

Upon receiving the threat, HSIA activated its Threat and Risk Assessment Committee (TRAC) and Emergency Operation Centre (EOC) in line with established protocols. The EOC promptly alerted all relevant agencies responsible for countering bomb threats, ensuring their readiness before the flight landed.

Once the aircraft landed, security forces immediately surrounded it, and all passengers and crews were safely escorted to the terminal building.

To secure the area and conduct further inspections, agencies including Civil Aviation’s Aviation Security (AVSEC), Bangladesh Air Force’s Anti-Terrorism Unit, Task Force, Quick Reaction Force (QRF), Armed Police Battalion’s Crisis Response Team (CRT), and other related units worked in coordination. 

Additional support was provided by Biman Bangladesh Airlines’ security division, Airport Armed Police Battalion, GSE Team, the airport’s fire and health departments, and members of Ansar.

The aircraft was thoroughly inspected by the Bangladesh Air Force Bomb Disposal Unit, supported by teams from the Action Battalion, Police Headquarters, and other specialized units. 

The inspection also involved K-9 units from the Airport Armed Police Battalion, Dhaka Metropolitan Police and Rapid Action Battalion.