The civil aviation ministry says it’s yet to confirm whether the pistol used by the purported hijacker of the Biman Bangladesh Airline was a toy.
“We are yet to confirm whether it was an actual firearm or a toy. It can be anything. We will come up with the details after the investigation ends,” said Civil Aviation Secretary Mohibul Haque.
State Minister Mahbub Ali and Secretary Haque briefed the media in Dhaka on Monday (Feb 25) on the hijacking of a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight in Chattogram airport the previous day.
The comments come amid the reports surfacing that the gun used by the ‘hijacker’, who was neutralised in a commando raid, was a toy.
The minister, however, insisted there was no security breach in the airport.
Dismissing the claim on lack of coordination among security forces, Ali said, “You have seen how we have rescued the passenger without suffering any damage.”
“There was no breach in security as shown in CCTV footage while checking their luggage and handbags,” the secretary echoed the minister.
Haque informed that the probe committee on the incident has already started working and will report within five days.
On firing inside the aircraft, Civil Aviation Chairman M Naim Hassan said, “If an exchange of bullets took there would have signs, but we found no sign of firing. Toy gun makes the sound too.
“Passengers claimed to hear firing. Whether it was a real gun or toy gun can be learned after investigation,” said Hassan.