PM’s flight disruption: Biman suspends six officials

Biman Bangladesh Airlines on Wednesday suspended five of its engineering officers and a technician but spared the head of engineering department over a glitch that caused emergency landing of the aircraft carrying prime minister Sheikh Hasina on November 27.
Civil aviation and tourism minister Rashed Khan Menon at a press conference at his office in the evening said primary investigation also identified the ‘human error’ and prevention of which, however, saved prime minister and her entourage on way to Budapest in Hungary.
The minister, however, did detail what was the ‘human error’ but stated that one screw related to oil supply was misplaced, leading to ‘oil seepage’ on the left side. 
Biman later on the day in a statement said that based on the preliminary investigation report on the incident of VVIP flight no BG 1101/27/11/2016, Biman suspended the five engineering officers — SM Rokonuzzaman, Samiul Haque, Lutfor Rahman, Milon Chnadra Biswas, and Zakir Hossin — and technician Siddiqur Rahman. 
All the six were responsible for maintenance of the air craft before it took off, a senior official said. 
A senior official of the national flag carrier, however, told New Age that the investigation did not blame the head of the department.
According the official, a retired air force official, MM Asaduzzaman, who has been leading engineering and material management for long, was in charge of the overall technical aspect of the VVIP aircraft.
When asked why the department chief was spared despite his responsibility, the Biman’s managing director and chief executive officer AM Mosaddique said ‘it is our primary investigation.’ 
The minister told the press two other inquiries — one headed by ministry and another by the Civil Aviation Authorities, Bangladesh — were underway to submit a complete report on the incident.
He also said the national flag carrier that carried Hasina was handed over to security personnel just 24 hours before it took off for Budapest.
‘We will review existing practices meant to operate the prime minister’s flight,’ said the minister.
On November 27, the aircraft made the emergency landing into four hours after flying with the prime minister and her 99 entourage at Ashkhabad in Turkmenistan afternoon.
The minister said the incident has affected market of Biman but ‘We are now considering how we can jointly recover it.’

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