‘Bomb threat’ on Biman flight came from Pakistani number: DMP

The fake bomb threat for a Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight came from a Pakistani number, the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) said on Wednesday, clarifying earlier reports that claimed it came as a call from an unidentified number.

"The duty officer of the Armed Police Battalion's [APBn] Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport unit received the bomb threat message through WhatsApp from an unknown Pakistani number at 4:37am," DMP said in a message sent to media.

"The message reads that the Biman flight BG-536 was carrying 34kg of high-grade explosives."

Upon receiving the information, the bomb disposal unit of Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crimes (CTTC) and the Canine unit joined the combined forces and conducted a drive, DMP added.

Earlier in the morning, Captain Kamrul Islam, group executive director of the Dhaka airport said a bomb threat was received for a Biman flight from an unidentified caller.

However, upon thorough inspection of the aircraft, no threat was found on it. The aircraft was carrying 250 passengers and 13 crew members.

"As per protocol all baggage and items were checked, however, no threat was found," he said in a press statement.

Passengers' belongings were being handed over, and regular processing of passengers was underway, he had also said.

They called off the search at 12:30pm.

All passengers were safely evacuated from the aircraft.