DHAKA, July 12, 2025 (BSS) - The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh 
(CAAB) today warned of stern legal action against anyone disrupting air 
operations following a hoax bomb threat forced a Biman's Kathmandu-bound 
flight to halt on Friday, triggering heightened security at Hazrat Shahjalal 
International Airport (HSIA).

"We have taken serious measures to prevent any recurrence of such incidents. 
Legal action has already been taken regarding yesterday's incident, and we 
are determined to enforce the law in the future if such incidents occur," 
HSIA Executive Director Group Captain SM Ragib Samad told BSS this afternoon. 

He emphasised that the safety of passengers and the integrity of air 
operations remain the highest priority and that any attempt to disrupt these 
will face the full force of the law.

Under the Civil Aviation Ordinance, any person who intentionally or 
recklessly endangers aircraft operations and puts lives at risk is liable to 
severe punishment, including the death penalty or life imprisonment, along 
with fines of up to Taka five crore.

The warning followed Friday's incident when an anonymous call to Air Traffic 
Control falsely claimed that a bomb was onboard Biman flight BG-373, which 
was taxiing for departure to Kathmandu with 142 passengers and seven crew 
members.

Acting on CAAB directives, the Air Force's task force and AVSEC swiftly 
established a security perimeter around the aircraft, with the Air Force bomb 
disposal unit, APBn's dog squad, and RAB's bomb disposal team conducting 
thorough inspections of the aircraft and luggage.

All passengers were safely evacuated, screened, and moved to the lounge while 
other flight operations at HSIA continued normally.
 
Security screening was completed at 7:58 PM, with no explosives or suspicious 
items found, and the aircraft departed safely for Kathmandu at 9:22 PM.

At a press briefing today, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) Director General AKM 
Shahidur Rahman confirmed that three individuals, including the caller, had 
been arrested in connection with the hoax.
 
Investigations revealed that the call was made by the mother of a passenger 
travelling with his extramarital partner in an attempt to prevent him from 
leaving for Kathmandu.

The RAB chief described the incident as "regrettable" and cautioned that such 
acts damage the country's image and the reputation of the national airlines. 

"Such attempts must never be made under any circumstances, and strict 
punitive measures will be taken against those responsible," he said.