Five-Hour Ground Delay Prompts High-Level Aviation Audit; Report Due In 4 Working Days
Biman Constitutes 4-Member Probe Panel Over Technical Glitch On PM's Flight In Narita
- Biman Chief of Planning and Scheduling heads four-member technical inquiry commission
- Flight BG 377 suffered pre-flight mechanical defect prior to departure from Tokyo Narita
- Mandate covers ground protocols, engineering negligence, operational loss, and fleet readiness
Probing an unexpected mechanical breakdown that grounded a state flight carrying Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and his high-level delegation at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, national flag carrier Biman Bangladesh Airlines has constituted a four-member specialized inquiry committee. The administrative panel has been directed to deliver an exhaustive fact-finding report within four working days.
The official directive was issued via an administrative circular on Friday, 30 October, signed by Biman's Director of Administration and Human Resources, Air Commodore Niamul Kabir.
According to the order, Biman's Chief of Planning and Scheduling will serve as the Convener of the probe body, while the Manager of Legal Affairs has been designated as Member Secretary. The remaining two seats are filled by the Chief Engineer (Engineering Production) and the Deputy Chief (Flight Safety). The committee has been authorized to co-opt any technical, avionics, or operational personnel from within the national carrier to ensure comprehensive evaluations.
The incident occurred on Thursday, 29 October, affecting Biman flight BG 377 scheduled on the Narita-Dhaka route following the conclusion of the Prime Minister’s four-day bilateral visit to Japan. The aircraft was slated for departure at 6:00 PM local time; however, an abrupt pre-flight mechanical anomaly delayed takeoff by approximately five hours, forcing the Prime Minister, state delegates, and commercial passengers to remain stranded within the airport terminal lounge while technical maintenance teams mobilized.
The committee has been tasked with submitting its comprehensive investigative findings directly to the Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of Biman Bangladesh Airlines within four working days.
Five-Point Terms of Reference (ToR):
- Determine the fundamental root cause, operational dynamics, and precise mechanical classification of the technical glitch that emerged prior to takeoff at Narita International Airport.
- Review the technical response timeline, troubleshooting methodology, and structural validations executed to ensure the airframe’s full airworthiness prior to cleared departure.
- Quantify the institutional impact resulting from the protracted delay, assessing accrued secondary ground-handling costs, commuter disruption, and damage to the carrier's international operating image.
- Investigate potential lapses in Standard Operating Procedures (SOP), communication breakdowns, or engineering negligence among maintenance personnel, establishing individual and departmental culpability.
- Formulate actionable preventative maintenance frameworks and operational guidelines to safeguard VVIP missions and routine commercial flights from parallel contingencies, official sources confirmed. //DBTech/BNR/SME/MVNO//
