Pilot, Stewardess Of Flight Carrying Khaleda Zia’s Son Changed Overnight Over Awami League Links

Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda Zia’s son and acting chairman of Bangladesh Nationalist Party Tarique Rahman. (AFP photo)

The pilot and stewardess of the Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight carrying former Bangladesh Prime Minister Khaleda Zia’s son, Tarique Rahman, were changed overnight due to security reasons after intelligence reports suggested that they had a past affiliation with Sheikh Hasina’s Awami League.

Two cabin crew members were removed from the flight carrying the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting chairman Tarique Rahman at midnight based on information about “security concerns and political affiliations”, sources told CNN-News18.

Rahman is scheduled to return to Dhaka from London on Thursday after 18 years of living away from Bangladesh. The Biman Bangladesh Airlines flight BG-202 carrying him is scheduled to depart from London’s Heathrow Airport for Dhaka on Wednesday evening. Rahman’s family members and top BNP leaders will also be on the flight.

According to Biman sources, the names of junior purser Mohd. Saugatul Alam Saugat and flight stewardess Jinia Islam Jinia were finalised on Saturday afternoon to serve as cabin crew on the flight. However, an intelligence report received late at night mentioned their political affiliations and potential risks to the safety of VIP passengers, so their duties were cancelled.

Proximity With Awami League Under Scrutiny

Intelligence sources told CNN-News18 mentioned that Saugatul Alam and Jinia Islam used to regularly serve on various lights of ousted PM Sheikh Hasina’s family members, especially Awami League Sheikh Salim. There are also allegations against the flight crew over their closeness to the leaders of the fallen Awami League government.

Later, flight purser Mustafa and flight stewardess Ayat were included in their place, said Biman’s flight service department. Biman’s Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer (MD and CEO) Dr Shafiqur Rahman confirmed that two cabin crew members have been removed from the flight on the basis of intelligence reports.

At the same time, he said that action will be taken against the culprits after investigating why people associated with the fallen government are repeatedly being given responsibility for important VIP flights.

This came after two cabin crew members – Al Kubrun Nahar Kosmik and Mohd. Kamrul Islam Bipon – were removed from Khaleda Zia’s flight on May 2, based on intelligence reports.

Biman’s cabin crew positioning activities are conducted by the Planning and Scheduling Branch of the Customer Service Department. Shahnaz Begum has been serving as the manager of this department for a long time. According to relevant sources, the crew positioning of Khaleda Zia and Tarique Rahman’s flights was completed through her.

Khaleda Zia, the 80-year-old chairperson of the BNP, has been undergoing treatment at Dhaka’s Evercare Hospital since November 23 for multiple health complications and was shifted to a coronary care unit (CCU) later. On December 11, she was placed on “ventilator support to give rest to her lungs and other vital organs.” Her condition was later reported as “more stable.”

After last year’s uprising that ousted Hasina’s regime, the former Prime Minister has been living in India, while the Awami League was banned from all electoral activities in Bangladesh. Several Awami League leaders are either living in exile or were imprisoned.