DHAKA: Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight made an emergency landing at the Shah Amanat International Airport in Chittagong, following a reported hijack attempt.
According to witnesses and airport officials, the plane, which was on its way to Dubai from Dhaka via Chittagong, landed at the airport around 5:40 pm on Sunday.
A gunman had tried to take command of the cockpit, leading to the emergency landing.
Police and Rapid Action Battalion had cordoned off the area on the runway.
The gunman and two crew members were reported to be on the plane even after all the passengers had disembarked the plane upon landing.
The armed suspect was later killed in an exchange of fire with Army commandos.
Maj Gen SM Matiur Rahman, GOC of Chattogram, told reporters about the development at the airport around 8:45pm on Sunday.
The suspect had wanted to talk to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, Matiur said.
All the passengers and crew members were safe, he added.
Maj Gen SM Matiur Rahman said the para-commandos had asked the armed hijacker, identified as Mahadi, to surrender during the raid.
“But he did not, and that led to the exchange of fire. The suspect was apprehended with gunshot injuries, but we have been informed that he died later,” said the Army official.
The raid, led by Lt Col Imrul, took only eight minutes to neutralise the hijacker, he added.
Maj Gen Matiur said the Bangladeshi man was in his mid-20s and was carrying a pistol.
