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PM-BIMAN- PILOT 2 LAST DHAKA
The prime minister particularly appreciated the temperament of the pilots
and crew for their temperament during that episode saying their plan to upset
the hijack attempt was “extraordinary’ keeping their head cool.
Sheikh Hasina also noted that most such hijack attempts across the globe
could not be thwarted so successfully and particularly “in the case of the
hijack attempt, evacuating all from the plane safely is a rare incident”.
Captain of the flight Golam Shafi narrated the whole episode of the hijack
attempt when his fellow co-pilot and crew kept passengers quite and calm,
secured the cockpit and engaged the hijacker in talks and eventually ensured
the passengers safe disembarkation.
“If the hijacker could have entered the cockpit, he might have taken the
plane to other country tarnishing the image of Bangladesh (while) we always
tried to give attention so that our image is not tainted in any way,” he
said.
Shafi added: “We’ve foiled the hijack bid by utilizing our experiences and
training successfully.”
First Officer Muntasir Mahbub and five crew members are Shafika Nasim,
Hosne Ara, Sharifa Begum, Shaheduzzaman and Abdus Sakur Mojahid were present
during the call on and thanked the prime minister for inviting them to
Ganabhaban.
State Minister for Civil Aviation Mahbub Ali, Secretary of the ministry
Mohibul Haque and Managing Director and CEO of Biman AM Mosaddek Ahmed were
present on the occasion.
BSS/SH/AR/2135 HRS