In a dramatic twist, a mother faked a bomb threat on a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight from Dhaka to Kathmandu to prevent her married son from traveling with his extramarital partner, according to the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB).
RAB Director General AKM Shahidur Rahman confirmed at a press conference on Saturday (12 July) that the false alarm led to a three-hour-long security sweep of Flight BG-373. No explosives were found on the aircraft, which had been scheduled to depart with 142 passengers and seven crew members.
"Air traffic control received a bomb threat via phone call on 11 July, prompting authorities to suspend the flight. After an extensive search, nothing suspicious was found,” said the RAB chief.
Following the incident, RAB launched an overnight investigation, arresting three individuals, including the woman who made the call. The army and other intelligence agencies supported the operation.
According to investigators, a man named Emon was flying to Nepal with his extramarital partner. His mother and wife tried unsuccessfully to stop him. A friend named Imran then proposed the idea of calling in a fake bomb threat. Acting on the suggestion, Emon’s mother placed the call to air traffic control.
“This is a serious criminal offense. Such acts must never be repeated, and anyone involved will face strict legal consequences,” Shahidur warned.
The aircraft was already taxiing for departure when the call came in. Passengers were safely evacuated and moved to the airport lounge while other flight operations at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport continued normally. The security search was completed at 7:58 pm, confirming there were no explosives or suspicious items onboard.
In response to the incident, the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (Caab) issued a strong warning against any attempt to disrupt air operations.
“We are taking the matter very seriously. Legal measures have already been initiated, and further action will follow to prevent such hoaxes in the future,” said Group Captain SM Ragib Samad, Executive Director of Dhaka airport.
