A Kathmandu-bound flight of Biman Bangladesh Airlines was halted and thoroughly searched at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in Dhaka on Friday afternoon after authorities received an anonymous phone call warning of a possible bomb onboard.

According to the Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB), the incident occurred at 4:26pm when an unidentified caller claimed that flight BG-373, a Boeing 737-800, might be carrying explosives. At the time, the aircraft was taxiing with 142 passengers and seven crew members onboard.

Following the alert, the airport immediately activated emergency protocols under the direction of the CAAB chairman. A security perimeter was established around the aircraft by the Bangladesh Air Force Task Force and the Aviation Security (AVSEC) team. Bomb disposal experts from the Air Force and a dog squad from the Armed Police Battalion arrived promptly to begin inspections.

Later, the bomb disposal unit of the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) joined the operation. All passengers were safely disembarked and sent to the airport lounge after individual screening. Authorities conducted a detailed search of the plane’s cabin, cargo hold, and all luggage.

In a statement, CAAB said flight operations at the airport remained normal throughout the incident and that the situation was fully under control.

Officials confirmed that no explosive device had been found as of the filing of this report, and further security checks were ongoing to ensure passenger safety.

MSK/