Post by : Badri Ariffin

A Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight bound for Malaysia departed from Dhaka on Saturday night without 76 passengers who had booked tickets for the journey. The passengers either failed to reach the boarding gate after collecting their boarding passes or were stopped during the immigration process.

The incident involved Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-386, which left Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport at around 8:30 pm with 212 passengers on board instead of the 288 who had originally booked seats.

Immigration Officials Offload 10 Passengers

According to Boshra Islam, spokesperson for the state-run national airline, all 288 passengers had purchased tickets for the Malaysia-bound flight.

During the boarding process, immigration officials removed 10 passengers after they had already boarded the aircraft. Another five passengers were stopped before reaching the aircraft at the boarding gate.

After these actions, an additional 61 passengers who had already collected their boarding passes did not report to the boarding gate for departure.

As a result, the flight departed with 212 passengers, leaving a total of 76 booked passengers behind.

Authorities Suspect Syndicate Involvement

Airport officials suspect that the passengers who did not travel may have been linked to a syndicate involved in arranging travel to Malaysia. Officials said those who were stopped were all travelling for employment purposes.

No further details about the suspected syndicate have been released.

How the Airport Immigration Process Works

Passengers travelling internationally first complete check-in at the airline counter, where they submit their baggage and receive a boarding pass.

They then pass through immigration, where officials verify their passports, visas, and travel documents before stamping their passports. Once immigration formalities are completed, passengers proceed to the boarding gate to board the aircraft.

Immigration activities at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport are supervised by officials from the police's Special Branch (SB).

Special Branch Explains Why Some Passengers Are Stopped

An SB official responsible for immigration duties told that passengers may be stopped from travelling to ensure safe migration and to protect the safety and dignity of Bangladeshi citizens abroad.

The official said there can be several reasons for preventing a passenger from travelling.

He explained that in the case of Malaysia, many travellers have previously entered the country with valid visas but were later sent back by Malaysian authorities. Because of this, immigration officials carry out additional checks before departure.

No Evidence of Fake Visas in This Case

The SB official said there was no information indicating that the passengers removed from Saturday's flight were carrying forged visas.

However, the official noted that immigration officers sometimes identify cases where a traveller is using a tourist visa even though their financial or social background does not appear consistent with the purpose of overseas travel. Other factors may also raise concerns during the screening process.

The official added that many passengers in similar situations are eventually denied entry and returned from Malaysia. As a result, immigration authorities sometimes make decisions before departure to prevent such cases.

He also said officials are collecting information from the officers who were on duty on Saturday to determine the exact reasons why the passengers were stopped from travelling.

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