Dhaka: Airport Police has confirmed that the hoax bomb threat at Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport (HSIA) yesterday was given from a fake WhatsApp number. It was reported that a false threat was given by an unnamed person yesterday that there is a bomb or explosive substance inside a Dhaka bound Bangladesh Biman flight BG-356 coming from Rome.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the duty officer of the HSIA received the message of the hoax bomb threat at 04:37 am Wednesday from a fake WhatsApp number, as announced in a Facebook post by the police on its verified page. As part of precautionary measures after receiving the threat, the Bomb Disposal Unit and Canine Unit of the CTTC (Counter Terrorism and Transnational Crime), with the help of joint forces, conducted an operation to locate the bomb, the post stated.
However, no bomb or bomb-like object was found after a full search at the HSIA and on Biman Bangladesh aircraft BG-356 traveling from Rome to Dhaka. As per protocol, all baggage items were checked, and the search was called off as nothing was found, HSIA executive director Group Captain Kamrul Islam told BSS on Wednesday.
All 250 passengers and 13 crew members from the flight were evacuated after its safe landing at 9:20 am at HSIA with a bomb threat. Further details regarding the threat and the search would be shared with the media, said the airport source.