Dubai-bound jet’s hijacker shot dead by Bangladesh commandoes

Chittagong: Bangladesh commandos stormed a passenger jet in the country’s southeast on Sunday and shot dead an armed man who allegedly tried to hijack the Dubai-bound flight, an army official said.

The suspect, described by officials as a 25-year-old Bangladeshi man, was shot as special forces rushed the plane after it landed safely in Chittagong.

The 148 passengers and crew aboard the Bangladesh Biman flight BG147 were all rescued unharmed, officials said.

But the suspected hijacker was injured and died shortly after being arrested, army spokesman Major General Motiur Rahman said.

“He is a Bangladeshi. We found a pistol from him and nothing else,” Rahman said. All passengers aboard were evacuated after the airport was sealed of by Army, Navy and elite police Air Vice Marshall Mofid, who goes by one name, said he then kept the accused man busy talking on the phone while special forces units prepared for the dramatic raid.

“He demanded to speak to our Prime Minister (Sheikh Hasina),” Mofid said. “He claimed he had a pistol, but we are not sure yet whether it is an real or a fake.”