Attempt to Hijack Dubai-Bound Plane in Bangladesh, all passengers safe, hijacker shot at

February 24: The Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG147 which was carrying 148 passengers and crew, made an emergency landing in the Bangladeshi coastal city of Chittagong amid reports an armed passenger attempted to hijack the flight.

All 148 passengers and crew have subsequently been allowed to leave the plane, the airline’s general manager, Shakil Miraj informed. Police and army are still surrounding the aircraft at Chittagong.

Bangladeshi media is reporting that gunshots have been heard from inside the plane. The plane did an emergency landing at the airport around 5.40 PM Bangladesh time. Bangladesh commandos stormed a passenger jet in the country’s southeast Sunday and shot dead an armed man who allegedly tried to hijack the Dubai-bound flight, an army official said. But the suspected hijacker was injured, army spokesman Major General Motiur Rahman told reporters.

As per the police officials, all the passengers have been evacuated from the flight. Local media reported that a cabin crew member raised alarm after he found the behaviour of one of the passengers’ suspicious. Major General Motiur Rahman told “He is a Bangladeshi. We found a pistol from him and nothing else.”

Air Vice Marshall Mofid, said he then kept the accused man busy talking on the phone while special forces units prepared for the dramatic raid. “He demanded to speak to our Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina),” Mofid said. The suspect, described by officials as a 25-year-old Bangladeshi man, was shot as special forces rushed the plane after it landed safely in Chittagong. “He claimed he had a pistol, but we are not sure yet whether it is an actual gun or a fake.”