Bangladeshi Plane Hijacker Shot Dead
A Bangladeshi national who attempted to hijack a passenger plane was shot dead by special force commandos on Sunday evening, 24 February.
The suspect, identified as a 25-year-old man named “Mahadi”, was onboard the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight – which was carrying 148 passengers and crew members from Dhaka to Dubai – when he carried out the hijacking.
According to reports, Mahadi took two of the crew members hostage using a toy gun. He also demanded to speak with Bangladeshi Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina.
The pilot – who had been alerted earlier by the cabin crew of Mahadi’s suspicious behaviour – made an emergency landing Shah Amanat International Airport in the southeastern city of Chittagong.
Bangladesh’s civil aviation chief, Nayeem Hasan, told reporters that Mahadi had claimed to have a bomb onboard the plane.
Hasan added: “From the talks and dialogue we had with [Mahadi], it seems he [was] psychologically deranged.”
Bangladeshi security forces stormed the plane and shot the suspect after he refused to surrender. He died shortly from his wounds after being arrested. An investigation is ongoing.
